Top 7 Hard Rock And Heavy Metal Guitar Tunings

There are many different guitar tunings that are used in Rock and Metal music coupled standard tuning. Guitar players in these genres like to use these tunings because they give a heavier and darker sound to their music.

Some of the more popular tunings used are Dropped D, Dropped C, Dropped B, E Flat, D, C and open G. Here are the descriptions of how the strings should be tuned and some of the bands that use them.

Dropped D tuning:

E ---------- 1st string

B ------------ 2nd string

G ------------ 3rd string

D ---------- 4th string

A ---------- 5th string

D ---------- 6th string (thickest)

This tuning enables power chords to be played with a single finger on the lowest three strings and produces a dark sound with it. If you're music does not fit together with this dark sound, you can place a capo on the 2nd fret and can still easily play power chords.

Some bands that use Dropped D tuning are:

Alice in Chains, Foo Fighters, Godsmack, Led Zepplin, Nirvana, Rage Against The Machine, Silverchair, Soundgarden and Velvet Revolver.

Dropped C tuning:

D ---------- 1st string

A ---------- 2nd string

F ---------- 3rd string

C ---------- 4th string

G ---------------- 5th string

C ---------------- 6th string (thickest)

Dropped C tuning is the Dropped D with each string lowered one whole step. Dropped C tuning produces a very low and heavy sound and is used by many of the new Heavy Metal bands.

Some bands that use Dropped C tuning are:

30 Seconds to Mars, Atreyu, Buckethead, Bullet for My Valentine, Children of Bodom, Godsmack, Bad Religion, Metallica, Mudvayne, POD, Papa Roach, Rammstein, Shadows Fall, System of a Down, Three Days Grace and Ozzy Osbourne.

Dropped B tuning:

C # ---------- 1st string

G # ---------- 2nd string

E ---------- 3rd string

B 4th string

F # --------- 5th string

B 6th string (thickest)

This tuning will need heavier gauge strings to be effective. Also you might have to widen the string grooves as well as adjust the tension in the neck of your guitar.

Some bands that use Dropped B tuning are:

Audioslave, Limp Bizkit, Machine Head, Mudvayne, Slipknot and Stone Sour.

Eb tuning:

Eb --------- 1st string

Bb --------- 2nd string

Gb --------- 3rd string

Db --------- 4th string

Ab --------- 5th string

Eb --------- 6th string (thickest)

This tuning is Standard tuning turned down a half step. There are a few reasons that bands use this tuning instead of Standard tuning. One reason is to sound heavier by using heavy gauge strings. By tuning down a half step it is easier to bend these heavy gauged strings. Another reason why some bands use this tuning is to compliment the lead singers voice.

Bands that use Eb tuning are:

Alice in Chains, Anthrax, Dream Theater, Guns N 'Roses, Jimi Hendrix, Kiss, Megadeth, Metallica, Motorhead, Nirvana, Poison, Slayer, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Stone Sour, Van Halen, Weezer and Yngwie Malmsteen.

D tuning:

D ---------- 1st string

A ---------- 2nd string

F ---------- 3rd string

C ---------- 4th string

G ---------------- 5th string

D ---------- 6th string (thickest)

D tuning is also known as whole step down tuning and as you have probably already guessed, it's Standard tuning tuned down a whole step. D tuning has been used mainly in Heavy Metal music.

Bands that have used D tuning are:

Alice in Chains, The Beatles, Bullet For My Valentine, Bob Dylan, Children of Bodom, Dream Theater, Guns N 'Roses, Motley Crue, Nirvana, Pink Floyd, Racer X and Soundgarden.

C tuning:

C ------------ 1st string

G ------------ 2nd string

Eb --------- 3rd string

Bb --------- 4th string

F ---------- 5th string

C ---------------- 6th string (thickest)

C tuning also produces a low sound that is mostly used by Hard Rock and Metal bands. The tuning is 2 whole steps below Standard tuning, which gives it a heavy sound but still contains the same intervals as Standard tuning.

Bands that have used C tuning are:

Atreyu, Black Sabbath, Bullet For My Valentine, Deftones, Dream Theater, Jimi Hendrix, POD, Queens of the Stone Age, Slipknot, Steve Vai and The Who.

G tuning:

D ---------- 1st string

B ------------ 2nd string

G ------------ 3rd string

D ---------- 4th string

G ---------------- 5th string

D ---------- 6th string (thickest)

Other than the Drop D tuning, G Tuning is one of the most popular alternative guitar tunings.

Some bands that have used G tuning are:

The Rolling Stones, The Black Crowes, Led Zeppelin, The Who, Pink Floyd and Pearl Jam.

These are just some of the alternate guitar tunings that are available to you to experiment with. Play around with them and see which tunings fit your style of music.

Netiquette Rules - 10 Best Rules for Email Etiquette

Netiquette, or email etiquette, is about the manners we use on the Internet. Cyberspace has its own culture, and has developed its own rules. Without knowing netiquette, you may commit some social blunders, or offend someone without meaning to.

Netiquette rules are based on common sense and respect, but since email is so quick, we often forget that we are still using a form of written communication.

Netiquette or e-mail etiquette 10 best rules are:

1. Imagine your message on a billboard. Anything you send can be forwarded, saved and printed by people it was never intended for. Never send anything that will reflect badly on you or anyone else.

2. Remember that company emails are company property. Emails sent from your workplace can be monitored by people between the sender and reader, and are technically company property.

3. Avoid offensive comments. Anything obscene, libelous, offensive or racist does not belong in a company email, even as a joke.

4. Keep your message Cool. Email messages can easily be misinterpreted because we do not have the tone of voice or body language to give us further cues. Using multiple explanation points, emoticons, and words in all capital letters can be interpreted as emotional language.

5. Be careful about forwarding messages. If you are not sure if the original sender would want to forward the message, do not do it.

6. Do not expect an answer right away. Email messages may be delivered quickly, but your recipient may not read it right away.

7. Do not sacrifice accuracy for efficiency. Do not send sloppy, unedited email. Experts say that for every grammar mistake in an email, there's an average of three spelling mistakes. While the odd spelling mistake is overlooked, when your readers have to break communication to decipher a word or message, at best, you'll look slopping, if not allowerate. At worst, they may stop reading.

8. Include the message thread. Keep the original message for a record of your conversation. However, when sending a new message to the same person, start a new thread with a new subject line.

9. Do not type in all CAPS. It's perceived as YELLING. However, do not write with only small letters, as this is perceived as your lazy, because it makes it more difficult for people to read.

10. Write clear, organized messages, with a subject line that gives sufficient information for the reader to file it and find it later.

I invite you to use these netiquette rules and tips when you send email.

Configuring a Site-to-Site VPN Between Two Cisco Routers

A site-to-site virtual private network (VPN) allows you to maintain a secure "always-on" connection between two physically separate sites using an existing non-secure network such as the public Internet. Traffic between the two sites is transmitted over an encrypted tunnel to prevent snooping or other types of data attacks.

This configuration requires an IOS software image that supports cryptography. The one used in the examples is c870-advipservicesk9-mz.124-15.T6.bin.

There are several protocols used in creating the VPN including protocols used for a key exchange between the peers, those used to encrypt the tunnel, and hashing technologies which produce message digests.

VPN Protocols

IPSec: Internet Protocol Security (IPSec) is a suite of protocols that are used to secure IP communications. IPSec involves both key changes and tunnel encryption. You can think of IPSec as a framework for implementing security. When creating an IPSec VPN, you can choose from a variety of security technologies to implement the tunnel.

ISAKMP (IKE): Internet Security Association and Key Management Protocol (ISAKMP) provides a means for authenticating the peers in a secure communication. It typically uses Internet Key Exchange (IKE), but other technologies can also be used. Public keys or a pre-shared key are used to authenticate the parties to the communication.

MD5: Message-Digest algorithm 5 (MD5) is an often used, but partly insecure cryptographic hash function with a 128-bit hash value. A cryptographic hash function is a way of taking an arbitrary block of data and returning a fixed-size bit string, the hash value based on the original block of data. The hashing process is designed so that a change to the data will also change the hash value. The hash value is also called the message digest.

SHA: Secure Hash Algorithm (SHA) is a set of cryptographic hash functions designed by the National Security Agency (NSA). The three SHA algorithms are structured differently and are distinguished as SHA-0, SHA-1, and SHA-2. SHA-1 is a commonly used used hashing algorithm with a standard key length of 160 bits.

ESP: Encapsulating Security Payload (ESP) is a member of the IPsec protocol suite that provides origin authenticity, integrity, and confidentiality protection of packets. ESP also supports encryption-only and authentication-only configurations, but using encryption without authentication is strongly discouraged because it is insecure. Unlike the other IPsec protocol, Authentication Header (AH), ESP does not protect the IP packet header. This difference makes ESP preferred for use in a Network Address Translation configuration. ESP operates directly on top of IP, using IP protocol number 50.

DES: The Data Encryption Standard (DES) provides 56-bit encryption. It is no longer considered a secure protocol because its short key-length makes it vulnerable to brute-force attacks.

3DES: Three DES was designed to overcome the limitations and weaknesses of DES by using three different 56-bit keys in a encrypting, decrypting, and re-encrypting operation. 3DES keys are 168 bits in length. When using 3DES, the data is first encrypted with one 56-bit key, then decrypted with a different 56-bit key, the output of which is then re-encrypted with a third 56-bit key.

AES: The Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) was designed as a replacement for DES and 3DES. It is available in varying key lengths and is generally considered to be about six times faster than 3DES.

HMAC: The Hashing Message Authentication Code (HMAC) is a type of message authentication code (MAC). HMAC is calculated using a specific algorithm involving a cryptographic hash function in combination with a secret key.

Configuring a Site-to-Site VPN

The process of configuring a site-to-site VPN involves several steps:

Phase One configuration involves configuring the key exchange. This process uses ISAKMP to identify the hashing algorithm and authentication method. It is also one of two places where you must identify the peer at the opposite end of the tunnel. In this example, we chose SHA as the hashing algorithm due to its more robust nature, including its 160-bit key. The key "vpnkey" must be identical on both ends of the tunnel. The address "192.168.16.105" is the outside interface of the router at the opposite end of the tunnel.

Sample phase one configuration:

tukwila (config) #crypto isakmp policy 10
tukwila (config-isakmp) #hash sha
tukwila (config-isakmp) #authentication pre-share
tukwila (config-isakmp) #crypto isakmp key vpnkey address 192.168.16.105

Phase Two configuration involves configuring the encrypted tunnel. In Phase Two configuration, you create and name a transform set which identifies the encrypting protocols used to create the secure tunnel. You must also create a crypto map in which you identify the peer at the opposite end of the tunnel, specify the transform-set to be used, and specify which access control list will identify permitted traffic flows. In this example, we chose AES due to its heightened security and enhanced performance. The statement "set peer 192.168.16.25" identifies the outside interface of the router at the opposite end of the tunnel. The statement "set transform-set vpnset" tells the router to use the parameters specified in the transform-set vpnset in this tunnel. The "match address 100" statement is used to associate the tunnel with access-list 100 which will be defined later.

Sample phase two configuration:

tukwila (config) #crypto ipsec transform-set vpnset esp-aes esp-sha-hmac
tukwila (cfg-crypto-trans) #exit
tukwila (config) #crypto map vpnset 10 ipsec-isakmp
% NOTE: This new crypto map will remain disabled until a peer
and a valid access list have been configured.
tukwila (config-crypto-map) #set peer 192.168.16.105
tukwila (config-crypto-map) #set transform-set vpnset
tukwila (config-crypto-map) #match address 100

The crypto map must be applied to your outside interface (in this example, interface FastEthernet 4):

tukwila (config) #int f4
tukwila (config-if) #crypto map vpnset

You must create an access control list to explicitly allow traffic from the router's inside LAN across the tunnel to the other router's inside LAN (in this example, the router tukwila's inside LAN network address is 10.10.10.0/24 and the other router's inside LAN network address is 10.20.0.0/24):

tukwila (config) # access-list 100 permit ip 10.10.10.0 0.0.0.255 10.20.0.0 0.0.0.255

(For more information about the syntax of access-control lists, see my other articles on creating and managing Cisco router access-control lists.)

You must also create a default gateway (also known as the "gateway of last resort"). In this example, the default gateway is at 192.168.16.1:

tukwila (config) #ip route 0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 192.168.16.1

Verifying VPN Connections

The following two commands can be used to verify VPN connections:

Router # show crypto ipsec sa
This command displays the settings used by the current Security Associations (SAs).

Router # show crypto isakmp sa
This command displays current IKE Security Associations.

Troubleshooting VPN Connections

After confirming physical connectivity, audit both ends of the VPN connection to ensure that mirror each other.

Use debugging to analyze VPN connection difficulties:

Router # debug crypto isakmp
This command allows you to observe Phase 1 ISAKMP negotiations.

Router # debug crypto ipsec
This command allows you to observe Phase 2 IPSec negotiations.

Copyright (c) 2008 Don R. Crawley

Connect PC to TV or Laptop to Television

There are many ways to connect your computer and television together. Whether you have a laptop, Netbook, tablet PC, Smartphone or desktop computer, you will need either cables (such as HDMI, VGA, Mini DisplayPort or S-Video) or a wireless streaming kit dongle from your USB port.

There are, however a couple of things you should consider if you want to connect PC to TV. If you are connecting PC to TV using a VGA cable, the VGA cable will only transmit video and not sound. As a result, if you want audio and video to play through your television from your computer, you will also require a 3.5mm Mini Jack to RCA cable. The same principle applies for DVI-I, DVI-D, and DVI-A cables.

Moreover, these cable combinations assume that both your PC and TV have the same input socket (eg VGA laptop to VGA High Definition television). If for example your computer has a VGA (Video Graphics Array) 15 Pin D-Sub socket and your television has a HDMI Type cable, and a VGA cable, + audio to HDMI converter.

If the prospect of having to use three or more different cables to connect a VGA computer to your HDMI television sounds chaotic, you can instead stream PC to TV wirelessly from your USB port. Wireless PC to TV connectivity has become increasingly popular in recent years, due to the fact that the vast majority of personal computing devices come equipped with either USB Type A, Mini USB Type A or Micro USB Type A port. Wireless PC to TV kits enable you to stream audio and video content wirelessly from a distance of up to 30 feet.

Connecting your PC and TV is in most cases the cheapest method of connecting devices together, however you must make sure you do not overspend on a PC to TV cable, as there are many overpriced cables on offer online.

You can also connect PC to TV using your WiFi Wireless Network. The latest products, known as Digital Media Adapters, allow you to watch TV content, music and photos on your monitor, with surround sound.

The D-Link Boxee Box Digital Media Player is a recent PC to TV connectivity product which allows you to stream visual and audio content on your HDMI High Definition television. The main benefit of this product is that you do not need a PC, as the Boxee Box is a computer itself, and can work from your wireless home network (WiFi).

If you need to connect your Apple iPad to TV, you will need an Apple 30-Pin Dock adapter. These adapters are available from most trusted online retailers, and can connect your iPad to your HDMI, VGA Composite or Component television.

The Selling Power Of The Samsung Galaxy Pocket

Finding an affordable smartphone is not that easy. Finding one with features that are not available on other low budget phones is not that easy as well. We have to admit it, not all of us can afford buying high-end smartphones in the likes of iPhone 4S and the new Samsung Galaxy S3. Not all of us can handle paying high monthly bills just for us to be able to get our dream phones for free. This is where the selling power of the Samsung Galaxy Pocket comes in. It is a smartphone that is within your reach. In this article, we will talk about the things that make this handset so endearing its budget-friendly tag price. Read on!

If you are sick and tired of looking at your old phone, then it is high time that you upgrade to a new one without having to pay more. Yes, you can take one home by paying $ 127.82 only. This may not be like the famous iPhone 4S or Samsung Galaxy S3, but it is capable enough to give you all that you will ever need on a smartphone.

Let's talk about the brilliant features of this phone. This is a pocket-friendly smartphone (and I mean it both literally and figuratively). The phone's actual dimensions are as follows: 103.7 x 57.5 x 12 mm. The handset weighs at at 97 grams only. As you can see, you will not find it hard to pocket this even if you are wearing the tight pair of jeans that you have.

If you are done with smaller screens, then you will enjoy its 2.8 "TFT capacitive touch screen with a screen resolution of 240 x 320 pixels and pixel density of 143 ppi. You will also notice a big difference when it comes to resolution.

If you want to store your favorite files on this handset, then you can do so with its 3GB storage space. If that is simply not enough, then you can add more via the phone's microSD card slot. You can basically add as much as 32GB. You can store all of your favorite photos or music files all you want.

If you want a new operating system on your handset, then this is your best bet. As you can see, this handset runs on Android version 2.3 also known as the Android Gingerbread. You can do a lot of things with this and I am sure that you will enjoy the amazing features of an Android smartphone.

As you can see, there is more to this tiny handset than its size and OS. It is pocket-friendly and this is its biggest selling point. You have to have one to fully understand its power.

These are the selling powers of the Samsung Galaxy Pocket.

Small Business Finance - Finding the Right Mix of Debt and Equity

Financing a small business can be most time consuming activity for a business owner. It can be the most important part of growing a business, but one must be careful not to allow it to take the business. Finance is the relationship between cash, risk and value. Manage each well and you will have healthy finance mix for your business.

Develop a business plan and loan package that has a well developed strategic plan, which in turn relates to realistic and believable financials. Before you can finance a business, a project, an expansion or an acquisition, you must develop precisely what your finance needs are.

Finance your business from a position of strength. As a business owner you show your confidence in the business by investing up to ten percent of your finance needs from your own coffers. The remaining twenty to thirty percent of your cash needs can come from private investors or venture capital. Remember, sweat equity is expected, but it is not a replacement for cash.

Depending on the valuation of your business and the risk involved, the private equity component will want on average a thirty to forty percent equity stake in your company for three to five years. Giving up this equity position in your company, yet maintaining clear major ownership, will give you leverage in the remaining sixty percent of your finance needs.

The remaining finance can come in the form of long term debt, short term working capital, equipment finance and inventory finance. By having a strong cash position in your company, a variety of lenders will be available to you. It is advisable to hire an experienced commercial loan broker to do the finance "shopping" for you and present you with a variety of options. It is important at this joke that you obtain finance that fits your business needs and structures, instead of trying to force your structure into a financial instrument not ideally suited for your operations.

Having a strong cash position in your company, the additional debt financing will not put an undue strain on your cash flow. Sixty percent debt is a healthy. Debt finance can come in the form of unsecured finance, such as short-term debt, line of credit financing and long term debt. Unsecured debt is typically called cash flow finance and requires credit worthiness. Debt finance can also come in the form of secured or asset based finance, which can include accounts receivable, inventory, equipment, real estate, personal assets, letter of credit, and government guaranteed finance. A customized mix of unsecured and secured debt, designed specifically around your company's financial needs, is the advantage of having a strong cash position.

The cash flow statement is an important financial in tracking the effects of certain types of finance. It is critical to have a firm handle on your monthly cash flow, along with the control and planning structure of a financial budget, to successfully plan and monitor your company's finance.

Your finance plan is a result and part of your strategic planning process. You need to be careful in matching your cash needs with your cash goals. Using short term capital for long term growth and vice versa is a no-no. Violating the matching rule can bring about high risk levels in the interest rate, re-finance capabilities and operational independence. Some deviation from this age old rule is permitted. For instance, if you have a long term need for working capital, then a permanent capital need may be warranted. Another good finance strategy is having contingency capital on hand for freeing your working capital needs and providing maximum flexibility. For example, you can use a line of credit to get into an opportunity that quickly arises and then arrange for cheaper, better suited, long term finance subsequently, planning all of this upfront with a lender.

Unfortunately finance is not typicallycribed until a company is in crisis. Plan ahead with an effective business plan and loan package. Equity finance does not stress cash flow as debt can and gives lenders confidence to do business with your company. Good financial structuring reduces the costs of capital and the finance risks. Consider using a business consultant, finance professional or loan broker to help you with your finance plan.

Tips on Marketing Your iPhone Application

Apps for the iPhone have become one of the hottest selling products in the mobile computing industry. They range from tutorials on how to set up your iPhone's voicemail all the way up to powerful apps that have practical business functions. With so many products being available at the same time, it can be difficult to get consumers' attention. That is why you need to create a good marketing plan for your app and be ready to put a significant amount of effort into driving sales of your new mobile computing product and helping you app marketing to take off.

One of the fastest ways that app marketing takes hold in the marketplace is through referrals by satisfied customers. That is why you need to spend time developing a list of clients that will test your app for you and then give you a positive review. That review can be done in the app store for a particular carrier and in other forms of marketing. You can also offer incentives for preliminary users who start promoting your app on message boards and other Internet marketing vehicles. The more you can get people talking about your app, the more sales you will generate.

The biggest mistake that companies make in their app marketing is that they assume they should keep their marketing to only mobile or online mediums. Gamers read printed video game magazines and business professionals still subscribe to a long list of printed business publications. Print advertising tends to stick around longer because it is something that people carry with them and refer to more than once. Your marketing approach needs to reach as many potential consumers as possible and the best way to do that is to use the mediums that your customers will see you in. Do not ignore print marketing when trying to see your iPhone apps.

App marketing is a matter of going where your audience is and creating a compelling message. If you limit yourself to just mobile marketing, then you will be severely limiting your exposure. Do a complete market analysis and then utilize every medium that your potential customers use to get their iPhone apps information. Whether you are selling games or business applications, you need a comprehensive marketing plan that will help you reach the largest audience possible. Your ability to drive revenue depends on how well you work to reach your target audience.