Sound Cards for Home Studios

Sound Cards for Home Studios Buying a Sound Card for Recording your Singing ChaptersUsing a Sound Card for Your SingingChoosing Your Sound CardUsing Your Sound Card for SingingSound Cards for Recording Vocals“When a singer truly feels and experiences what the music is all about, the words will automatically ring true.” - Monserrat CaballA microphone, mixer, speakers, and you’re ready to start recording yourself singing, right?Wrong! Something’s missing. You need the right sound card, which is essential for recording audio onto your computer.With the digitisation of audio and the creation of CDs in 1979, the sound card would later become an essential part of any home studio setup.So how can you choose the right sound card for recording vocals? How can you improve your singing with the right audio equipment?In this article, we’ll look at different sound cards and how they can help you. TraceySinging Teacher 4.92 (13) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PortiaSinging Teacher 4.91 (11) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicolaSin ging Teacher 5.00 (11) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JazzSinging Teacher 5.00 (6) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PerrineSinging Teacher 5.00 (3) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors TiemSinging Teacher £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors TomSinging Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MiriamSinging Teacher 5.00 (4) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsUsing a Sound Card for Your SingingA sound card? What’s that for? The sound card is essential if you want to record digitally. (Source: Free-Photos)This can be an internal or external computer component. Sound cards allow you to treat the audio at input or output. Put simply, a sound card transforms analogue audio signals into digital audio signals.There are three types of sound cards:A chip integrated into the motherboard.An internal sound card.An external sound card.You’ll need to decide which sound card is best for your singing needs. For example, to compose music, an external sound card connected by Firewire will do the job for most projects. So let’s have a look at choosing a sound card.Choosing Your Sound CardConnecting a Sound Card for SingingThe connection is an important aspect of choosing a sound card since it’s your connection between your voice and your digital recording. There are two main ways to connect an external sound card:USB or USB 3.0 for PC or Mac.FireWire, a faster connection but less commonly found on computers.It shou ld be noted that Macs have a Thunderbolt port to connect some sound cards. When recording digitally, you need more than just a microphone. (Source: smorazanm)The Ports and Outputs for a Sound CardWhen it comes to singing, you’ll choose your sound card according to your microphone and how you’ll want to record your voice. You’ll need one or several XLR ports.So what is an XLR port?Much like a typical audio jack, the XLR port is circular with three holes in it. This is for optimised audio quality.Sound Card InputsWhen you sing, you need to think about the inputs on your sound card when recording. You might be tempted to opt for just one input but, more often than not, you’ll have instruments accompanying you.You need to think about how many inputs you’ll need. For example, if you have a guitar accompanying your singing, you’ll need two. However, some instruments like the drums require several mics and several inputs. We’ll go over the details a bit later.In terms of inputs, you’ll have mostly jacks and XLRs. In some cases, you might also have a digital input depending on the type of device you’re wanting to plug into your sound card.  Similarly, you’ll want an output for your headphones. After all, you’ll need to be able to hear yourself sing when you’re recording. Finding the right sound card is a bit of an art in itself.Studio Monitor OutputMuch like the inputs, the outputs on your sound card will also heavily influence your decisions. That said, you can always get adapters. The most common formats are XLR and jacks. The main role of your sound card is to record your singing. (Source: DayronV)Generally, you’ll want something with control over the outputs and the volumes and an SPDIF output. This is much easier than controlling your output with a mouse.  In terms of monitoring, you want a low-latency output.I bet you wouldn’t have thought that a sound card would be this important! However, if you want to record your voice, you need the right equipment.The AD/DA ConverterThe AD/DA (Analog to Digital/Digital to Analog) converter is the main part of a sound card. This is what allows you to take an analogue signal (your voice) and convert it into a digital signal.The sound quality needs to be clear as the converter will convert it as faithfully as possible. This is similar to the way that a digital camera will take an analogue input and create digital images. As for sound cards, you want to choose the equipment with the right specs:Sampling frequency, which corresponds to the number of samples per second. Generally, 44100 Hz should be enough for decent quality.The number of bits, the closer the number of bits is to the audio amplitude, the better. Make sure you don’t saturate this when recording. We recommend that you record in 16-bit (CD format), 24 -bit, or 32-bit float.Sound Card Latency when SingingWhen talking about sound cards, latency is the time it takes the sound card to reproduce the sounds from the input. Very small latency is manageable and you can manage the latency by adjusting the size of the buffers. Anything under 10ms should be almost unnoticeable.Nowadays, most decent sound cards are external and work with various systems.Using Your Sound Card for SingingWhile there’s a lot of overlap in how you can use different sound cards, there are some things that will be specific to how you want to use it. A sound card can convert any analogue audio input into a digital one. (Source: rafabendo)For example, if you want to record just yourself singing, independently of the other instruments, a sound card with just two inputs will suffice. Two inputs can be used to record to mono inputs or a single instrument in stereo.However, if your goal is to record several people singing, plug in several microphones, or record background audio in addition to your voice, your sound card will need more than two inputs. The exact figure will depend on the number of singers and instruments you want to record.Similarly, you need to ensure that the sound card can support the type of recording that you want to do. Make sure you check the compatibility before you invest in a sound card.“Invest” is the right word as the more inputs and outputs you want, the more it’ll cost. Sound cards can cost anywhere between £30 and £1,500.You need to decide how you want to record and how much you want to spend.Fin d out more about the cost of making your own home studio.Sound Cards for Recording VocalsTo make the world of recording less complicated, here are some reasonably-priced sound cards. Here’s a short non-exhaustive list to give you a better idea:Behringer UMC22 U-PhoriaNative Instruments Komplete Audio 6Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (2nd Generation): PC and MAC compatible.Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi HDFocusrite Scarlett 2i2PreSonus Audio iTwoAnd many others...As you’ll have understood throughout this article, choosing a sound card isn’t something to take lightly. With all the different criteria for choosing a sound card, there’s something for everyone.So are you ready to start recording your voice?Get singing!If you need more help with your singing, consider getting in touch with one of the many talented and experienced tutors on Superprof. There are three main types of singing tutorial available and each has its pros and cons so have a look at what's on offer and see what will work best for you, your learning style, and your budget.Face-to-face tutorials are between just you and your tutor. Since you're the only student, the tutorials will be planned around you, what you want to learn, and how you like to learn. Of course, this bespoke service comes at a price and face-to-face tutorials tend to be the most costly per hour of tuition. That said, they're also the most cost-effective since every minute in a tutorial is spent teaching you how to sing.Online tutorials are similar to face-to-face tutorials in that they're between a single tutor and a single student. However, thanks to the marvels of modern technology, you can be taught over the internet thanks to video conferencing software. However, since your tutor won't have to travel to you and can schedule more lessons each week, they can also charge more competitive rates.Group tutorials tend to be the cheapest per hour because the tutor's time is being paid for by everyone in the class. Unlike the other two t ypes of tutorials, the tutor won't be able to offer bespoke tuition as they have several students to keep happy. However, if you and a few friends all want to learn how to sing, you can share the cost of private tutorials between yourselves in group tutorials.

Its Time to Stop Being Easy to Ignore - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / It’s Time to Stop Being Easy to Ignore - Introvert Whisperer It’s Time to Stop Being Easy to Ignore Does the boss go to someone else besides you for (fill in the blank)? Are other, less-qualified coworkers getting promotions, praise or acknowledgement? Every wonder why? One of the worst things in our life and career is not to be hated, but to be ignored. (Click here to tweet this thought.) Disinterest or disregard means that others simply give you no thought. It’s almost like you aren’t there. At least when someone hates you, they’re paying attention. If your intention is to grow professionally, being ignored is the kiss of death. You can turn this around, but it will require your ongoing attention or you risk slipping back into invisibility. This issue is your personal brand, or the lack of a compelling one. Here’s what you can do to change this: 1. Establish Your Expertise While it’s great to be good a many things, make sure you are well known for a couple of very specific things. If you naturally gravitate to something, go deep and then offer to help people using your specialty. 2. Volunteer to Use Your Expertise Don’t wait for someone to ask you to help; step up and volunteer. When you do, you can subtly reinforce your expertise by saying something like, “I could help with that project because I have established relationships with those vendors. If it’s true, it’s true and now everyone else knows it. 3. Have Opinions One of the things about us Introverts is we think and process, which can make us quiet and easy to ignore. Deliberately inject your opinion of things in meetings and conversations. You may also want to add your reasoning to help reinforce your opinion. When you do this, be pleasant about it. Sometimes opinionated people can come across as vehement and someone you don’t want to cross. Having an opinion makes you more compelling as long, as you are nice. 4. Deliberately Communicate If you’re forthcoming with information, you are more apt to be sought out for information. Funny how that works. If you’re unclear on what to communicate about, think about the work you do and give status on that work to the boss and others who might want to know. If you have observations about business or processes, share those insights. You can’t assume others know what you know. 5. Develop Relationships When you have a warm, friendly relationship with your boss and coworkers, you will be sought out. Having relationships with people at work means they’ve gotten to know you as a person and know the type of work you do. It’s part of the Know-Like-Trust formula that’s vital to your career. We do best in intimate, one-on-one situations, which makes this task right up your strong suit. It’s hard to develop any relationships in a group setting. You don’t have to turn into a suckup; you need to genuinely get to know the other person. Professional relationships will pay big rewards in many ways. 6. Watch Your Body Language You might want to read and study this topic. If you take up the least amount of space in a meeting or have “closed” body language, it signals you aren’t open to interaction. Your body language can be doing you a disservice. Watch how other people use their arms and hold their body as a way of learning what you can do. 7. Observe the Sweethearts Every group has one or two people who are the favorite child(ren), and all attention goes to them. While you don’t have to aim for that same level of attention, you can observe and learn some of the things that set them apart. Convert what you learn to actions you can take to garner more attention by the masses. Don’t think that being ignored has to be your life. You can establish a strong and well-regarded personal brand that will have the boss and others knocking on your door. Go to top Do you know what your next career step is?  Many people don’t. I want to help you accelerate your career by connecting you with your Free Instant Access to my eBook on how to construct your Career SMART Goals â€" that will help you put together your actions and keep you accountable. Get your copy now and start your action plan today! Brought to you by Dorothy Tannahill-Moran â€" dedicated to unleashing your professional potential. Introvert Whisperer How do you make yourself acknowledged at work? Share your thoughts in the comments!

What is it Like to Attend The University of Victoria

What is it Like to Attend The University of Victoria The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teach theyre sharing their college experiences as well. Roderick is a St. Louis tutor who specializes in Calculus tutoring, Physics tutoring, Computer Science tutoring, and more. He graduated from the University of Victoria in Canada in 2010 with a degree in Electrical Engineering. See what he had to say about his alma mater: VT: How easy or difficult is it to get around on your campus? Is it hilly, do lots of people bike, are there buses, etc. Roderick:This was a big bonus for pedestrian/non-drivers. Several buses run every 3 minutes at many stops all around the city that have final destination at UVic. The city itself isn't very large and with some scenic routes, it makes it ideal for bikers to/from campus. The campus itself has the main road which is a circle that goes around the campus so it's very easy to figure out where to go.VT: How helpful are the academic advisors? Roderick:In my experience advisers were not very helpful (I only dealt with the engineering department, it could be totally different in other departments). My main complaint was that engineering students had to switch on and off each semester between full course load and co-op/internship terms (each term is 4 months). So this basically made it possible to be moving every 4 months which was a huge hassle to be in classes and also worrying about trying to find a job at the same time. This puts a ton of students in a state of panic with overloaded schedule, serious financial issues (moving around is not easy) and everything else that can come with troubles of moving (many students don't have vehicles...). Advisers did not come up with any good ways to figure out schedules to get around this, so I ended up just taking a longer time in the program.VT: How would you describe the dorm life? Roderick:Iwas only in dorms my first year. This is probably pretty typical; orientation, meet and greet ice breakers, etc. I'd also like toadd that there is the possibility of living in a 'family dorm' for people with children. It's basically an apartment complex on campus but more remote from the rest of the dorm buildings. This might be something worth mentioning for students with families that are looking to stay on campus. I never stayed at one of these places myself but some fellow students I know had stayed there during their degree and from what I've seen they do appear to have all the amenities as well as private areas to live.VT: Which majors/programs are best represented and supported? Roderick:I would think that the most supported programs are environmental studies and geology. Iwouldlike to add engineering to that list but from '2' I think the organization of co-ops was a total mess. Co-op is mandatory in engineering which makes the whole issue unavoidable. If more jobs were available for engineering students at the school, this would have cleared up a lot of problems, but pretty much all the positions were to be held off campus and potentially anywhere else in the country. Also, making something *mandatory* for adults is a big no-no in my books.VT: How easy or difficult was it for you to meet people and make friends as a freshman? Roderick:This is easy enough, people in this area are very friendly and there is always some sort of party/event going on. Finding people with vehicles are a plus for road trips or just renting a vehicle. There is a lot to explore in the natural surroundings.VT: How helpful is the Career Center? Roderick:I never dealt with Career Center since this is separate from the engineering department.VT: How are the various study areas? Libraries? The Student Union? Dorm lounges? Roderick:Study areas are very nice. I am 100% happy with what was available.VT: What is the surrounding town like? What are the best local attractions that make it unique? Roderick:For people from big cities, this may be a bit of a challenge to get used to. The city is fairly small and compact but the exploring is more in the natural world side (beaches, mountains, etc). For city people, Vancouver is a ferry ride away. In general B.C. is an expensive place to live but doable if you can find cheap rent.VT: How big or small is the student body and how does that affect your experience? Roderick:I am not too aware of how the student body operated so I can't comment on this question.VT: Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one you dreaded the most. Roderick:Profs are hit or miss for the first 2 years in the engineering department since most of the classes are to get students up to speed on math/chemistry/physics/computer science. Once you get into the actual engineering classes though, it's a big/fun challenge if that is what you are looking for. I personally favored Signal Analysis classes since this was mostly conceptual and did not require too much mathematical mechanics but more critical thinking.VT: Anything else a prospective student should know? Roderick:Overall I'd rate my time at school pretty high, however it did have its draw backs. I think the area helped me with my schooling as it isn't really a party school but more a laid back society with lots to explore when you aren't hitting the books. There is some world class skiing, surfing, scuba diving and mountain/rock climbing all close by which is a rare combination to have accessible. Check out Roderickstutor profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

How to Write a Personal Statement

How to Write a Personal Statement Tips for Writing an Effective Personal Statement ChaptersThe Purpose of the Personal StatementPersonal Statement ParticularsThe Effective Personal StatementWhat Not To Do on Your Personal Statement“Tell me about yourself.”Whether applying for a job or a spot in an undergraduate study program, the question above is the most dreaded. What are ‘they’ looking for? What should I include in my narrative?If I tell them about my awesome ski skills, would it sway a vote in my favour? Hint: probably not, but your dedication and perseverance in pursuing your sport might, if phrased properly.That simple question - 'tell us about you', evokes so much panic in applicants all over the world for a couple of reasons, one of them being that we’re taught not to brag on ourselves.Modesty is generally considered a virtue but it seems that the most pertinent question to get ahead in life â€" to land that job or win an offer from the university of your choice, the one that demands we make ourselves exceptional, goes against everything we’re t aught, doesn’t it?Still, there’s no need to despair over being asked to talk about yourself.Your Superprof wants to help put you at your ease; to give you some points to consider and tips to build an amazing personal statement. We’re also going to touch on the ‘don’ts’ of writing such a narrative. CalumDrama School Entrance Teacher 5.00 (15) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ToriSpanish Teacher 5.00 (1) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors OliviaSchool support Teacher 5.00 (2) £21/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarkESOL (English) Teacher 4.76 (17) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YuweiChinese Teacher 4.33 (6) £19/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JenniferMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LouiseAutoCAD Teacher 5.00 (3) £60/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RickyPercussion Teacher 5.00 (7) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicolasGuitar Teacher 5.00 (2) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MyriamOrganic chemistry Teacher 5.00 (13) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JonathanEconomics Teacher 5.00 (9) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Oluwakemi imoleMaths Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AlexPhysics Teacher 5.00 (1) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AdamSinging Teacher 5.00 (14) £48/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ValentiniMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (2) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MilenaMaths Teacher 5.00 (5) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RashmiEconomics Teacher 5.00 (1) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsThe Purpose of the Personal StatementWherever you encounter that question in any of its forms or settings, all you need to know is that it is designed to measure two of your personal qualities: maturity and authenticity.If you are a traditional student, meaning you’re following the standard ac ademic path â€" preparing to sit A-Levels (or the International Baccalaureate) while wading through the university application process, you might wonder how much maturity prospective students are expected to have.Maturity, in this sense, does not refer to wisdom beyond your years but to the trifecta of purpose, intention and direction, and your ability to operate within those parameters. The maturity required for admission to university is not in years but what you've learned from your life experiences Image by Free-Photos from PixabaySo, as you think of drafting your personal statement, think of it as an essay that describes why you want to pursue the studies you’re applying for, what you will do with the knowledge you gain from your courses and how it will influence the direction of your life.Conversely, if you have had an experience that has led you into a certain direction â€" the desire to study a particular field, you may touch on it in your narrative.It might read a bit like this:Our family has always had cats; our cats always hunted and brought home ‘gifts’. My attempts to nurse those offerings back to health and my heartbreak when it couldn’t be done convinced me that I have an affinity for animal care…Can you imagine the personal statement you could build on this premise?This glimpse into your history kicks off a satisfactory arc: animals in your life for as long as you can remember, an event that caused you to learn something â€" you can’t simply pet a dead animal back to life. Your exposure to the cycle of life and death at an early age fostered your desire to care for animals.You could then go on to project how animal caregivers are needed more than ever in the current environmental crisis â€" which conveys the idea that you are aware of current events and the wider world.In personal statement parlance, this is known as the ABC rule: Action, Benefit and Course.It also perfectly demonstrates your maturity as well as your authenticity.Personal Statement ParticularsWhether you are British or a prospective international student with sights on the UK, applying to university is done through UCAS, the Universities and Colleges Admission Service.In many ways, this online application system makes the process of applying easy: you only need to enter all of your information one time, after which you may apply for a place in up to five courses of study.A major part of your UCAS application process is the personal statement essay.Its parameters are set by the program: you will not be permitted to exceed 4,000 characters â€" that includes your words and the spaces between them. That limits you to roughly 700 words.You are further restricted to 47 lines â€" whether text-filled or blank is immaterial. Whichever limit you hit first marks the end of your essay.You will have to be concise yet sufficiently descriptive to get your point across while staying within those boundaries.Naturally, such constraints make formatting your text especially tricky. For instance, knowing that a blank line will cost you, should you insert one between paragraphs?Likewise indents: if you type up your statement in as a formatted Word document and then paste it into the UCAS field meant for it, the system will automatically strip your text of any formatting, including paragraph indents.You might find a happy medium by ending each paragr aph mid-line, as we did the paragraph above, so that your text has the appearance of paragraphing without sacrificing any precious space allotment.Now join the discussion: what is the best method for choosing a course? Brainstorming your personal essay and making a checklist is a great way to organise your thoughts Image by TeroVesalainen from PixabayThe Effective Personal StatementIn his book titled On Writing, American author Stephen King advocates for a ‘clean’ writing process: dispensing of frilly language and worn clichés, using active voice rather than passive verb constructions and varying sentence length.Considering the limitations imposed by the UCAS application system, that advice is on the mark: you have little room for elaborate descriptions.A great way to get started on your admission essay is to brainstorm ideas, writing salient points as bulleted statements. This exercise is both easy and fun; feel free to ask friends and family to toss out ideas, too.To demonstrate the concept, we return to our love of cats:Veterinary medicine â€" our proposed course of studyalways been around animals (1)love animals (1)Sat GCSEs and A-Levels in biology and chemistry (2)Watch a lot of animal do cumentaries (3)worked on a farm over summer holiday (4)worried about fires and their impact on wildlife (5)volunteer with RSPCA (4)worried about predicted extinction events (5)Now, it’s just a matter of putting these points in proper order and fleshing them out. To do so, you should number your bullets in the following order:Your introductory paragraph (1) should detail why you hope to gain a spot in that study programme.Bear in mind that, if you choose more than one course of study, perhaps in unrelated fields, your introduction should be general enough to address all of the subjects you’ve chosen.Next, you should present your academic background as it relates to your chosen course list (2), followed by how you’ve pursued that interest outside of the classroom (3).Immediately after, talk about any extracurricular work you’ve done that relates to your chosen subject (4).Briefly, discuss any hobbies and interests you might have, especially if you can relate them to your chose n field of study (5).Your essay’s conclusion should sum up all of the points you’ve made. It’s a good idea to mention your graduate school aspirations here, and how earning a spot in that programme will advance your career goals.You might shudder at this unabashed self-promotion but, rest assured: you are expected to sell yourself and your accomplishments.You have to put yourself in as favourable a light as possible on your school application but, then again, you’re not so much highlighting yourself as your accomplishments.Now that you have all of your points in their proper order, you may start writing â€" in Word or whichever word processing software you work in.For your first draft, don’t worry about the word/character counter; you can always refine your statement and trim away any excess in later drafts.In a sense, applying for university in general and, in particular, writing this statement is good preparation for all of the academic writing you’ll do later on! If you are applying for several courses, be sure your personal statement will be satisfying to all of the admitting committees that will read it Image by StockSnap from PixabayWhat Not To Do on Your Personal StatementBefore we leave you to ponder how best to highlight your strengths, we need to touch on what not to do when writing a personal statement.1. Don’t open with a bang; go for sincerity and get to the point: why do you want this course? You might give humour a pass too; often, it doesn’t come across well.2. Remember all of those ‘wow words’ that got hammered into our heads in primary school? Disregard them! Writing experts advocate using adjectives sparingly and only when absolutely necessary.3. Avoid quotes and chichés: the admissions committee want to read your words, not another’s, no matter how quotable s/he may be.In that same vein, avoid making lists (of books you’ve read, shows you’ve seen, etc.) no matter how pertinent they are to your subject matter. I nstead, highlight what you’ve learned.4. Don’t include any unnecessary information about yourself/your experiences, or anything that cannot be verified or proven. Selling yourself is good but over-selling is not!And do not plagiarise: UCAS will flag any text that has been copied and notify your prospective university.5. Grammar and punctuation are critical in this writing effort! Don’t forget to proofread your essay; you should ask at least three other people to go over it, too.It’s your writing skills that will give the admissions team their first impression of you; think hard about how you want to stand out â€" surely, it’s not for writing badly!With these tips, we hope you are better prepared to tackle writing a good personal statement.Your turn to chime in: when should students start applying for university?

The 10 Best Acoustic Guitars Under $500

The 10 Best Acoustic Guitars Under $500 Megan L. When youre looking for the perfect beginner acoustic guitar, there are lots of factors to think about. For many students, finding a great guitar for a low price is a huge part of the search. Guitar teacher Jeff S. sent us his recommendations for the best acoustic guitar under $500, and we put them together into this handy chart to help you find the best guitar for your buck! 10 Best acoustic guitars under $500 | Create Infographics Is there anything we missed? What do you think is the best acoustic guitar under $500? Let us know in the comments below! Jeff S. teaches guitar, ukulele, speaking voice, songwriting and more in Perth Amboy, NJ, as well as online.  Jeff has created and taught songwriting and music business classes at colleges, universities, and music schools throughout the country for many years. Learn more  about Jeff here!   Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher

Online Times Table Games Tutors

Online Times Table Games Tutors Times table is one of the most important tools required to calculate math questions and solve problems. Times table represents the multiplication values of all the numbers, when they are multiplied to other numbers. The basic and standard times table consists of multiplication values of numbers from 1 to 10. It is important for math students to memorize the times table because it is used almost everywhere in math. Learning times table through games is a great way to remember the values for a longer time. Example 1: What is the value when 5 is multiplied with 4, 7 and 9? Times table of number 5 is one of the easiest tables in math because the numbers end either with a 5 or 0 at the end when multiplied by 5. 5 * 1 = 5 5 * 2 = 10 5 * 3 = 15 5 * 4 = 20 5 * 5 = 25 5 * 6 = 30 5 * 7 = 35 5 * 8 = 40 5 * 9 = 45 5 * 10 = 50 Example 2: What is the value when 10 is multiplied with 2, 3 and 6? Times table of number 10 is the easiest times table among all the numbers in math because we can simply put a 0 at the end of any number multiplied by 10 to get the answer! 10* 1 = 10 10* 2 = 20 10* 3 = 30 10* 4 = 40 10* 5 = 50 10* 6 = 60 10* 7 = 70 10* 8 = 80 10* 9 = 90 10* 10 = 100

Clichés to Avoid

Clichés to Avoid Second language speakers of English demonstrate an impressive familiarity with English when they use clichés in their speaking. Using common expressions shows people that you have been exposed to a lot of English in your life and suggests that you have achieved an intermediate level of proficiency. Nevertheless, advanced second language writers and first language writers who use clichés seem unimaginative and dull. But what is a cliché anyway? What is a cliché? A cliché is a phrase or opinion that is overused and betrays a lack of original thought. It was once a lively and inventive phrase, but after it caught on it quickly became overused and tiresome. What is the origin of the word cliché? The word cliché means to clicked together. It comes to us from before the year 1825 from the typesetting trade. Instead of having to set every letter separately, typesetters would keep frequently-occurring words and phrases in handy reusable blocks to speed up the job of typesetting a page. A reusable block of letters What is wrong with writing in clichés? When people write in clichés, we wonder if they have chosen to express the idea that way or if that is the only way they know how to express the idea at all. Instead of being a sign of easy familiarity with English, we get the sense that the writer has never thought carefully about alternative phrasings. Worse still is when the writer gets the cliché wrong and comes out with an eggcorn like doggy-dog world. Thats really annoying. Here is a list of clichés to avoid 2.0 -gate does not suffer fools gladly a cautionary tale a chip off the old block a clean slate a crisis waiting to happen a dark and stormy night a diamond in the rough a far cry a favorite Washington parlor game a fine kettle of fish a good soul a kind soul a land of contradictions a loose cannon a mass of contradictions a matter of time a modest proposal a pain in the butt a pain in the neck a penny saved is a penny earned A portrait emerges a ragtag army a ragtag militia a tale of two a tough row to hoe a waste of time a word to the wise ace in the hole ace up his sleeve add insult to injury afraid of his own shadow against all odds air your dirty laundry all fun and games all in a days work all is fair in love and war all is well that ends well all talk all thumbs all your eggs in one basket alls fair in love and war alls well that ends well almighty dollar American as apple pie an arm and a leg an axe to grind An object lesson And heres the kicker and they all lived happily eve r after another day another dollar armed to the teeth as a nation as a society as brave as a lion as clever as a fox as luck would have it as meek as a lamb as old as the hills as old as the hills: as old as time as the crow flies At a crossroads at first blush at first glance at my wits end At the end of the day at the speed of light avoid it like the plague avoid like the plague babe in the woods back against the wall back in the saddle back to square one back to the drawing board bad to the bone badge of honor bald faced liar ballpark figure banging your head against a brick wall baptism by fire bark is worse than her bite barking up the wrong tree bat out of hell be all and end all Be that as it may beat a dead horse beat around the bush bee in her bonnet beggars cant be choosers begs the question behind the eight ball bend over backwards benefit of the doubt bent out of shape best thing since sliced bread bet your bottom dollar better half better late than never better mousetra p better safe than sorry between a rock and a hard place between the devil and the deep blue sea beyond the pale bide your time big as life big cheese big fish in a small pond big man on campus bigger they are the harder they fall bird in the hand birds eye view birds and the bees birds of a feather flock together bit the hand that feeds you bite the bullet bite the dust bitten off more than he can chew black as coal black as pitch black as the ace of spades blast from the past bleeding heart blessing in disguise blind ambition blind as a bat blind leading the blind blood is thicker than water blood sweat and tears blow off steam blow your own horn blushing bride boils down to bone to pick bored stiff bored to tears bottomless pit boys will be boys brave as a lion bright and early brings home the bacon broad across the beam broken record Broken system bull by the horns bull in a china shop burn the midnight oil burning question burning the candle at both ends Burst onto the national political scene burst your bubble bury the hatchet busy as a bee but at the end of the day But first But reality is more complicated but you cant hide by hook or by crook Byzantine rules call a spade a spade Call it luck called onto the carpet calm before the storm can of worms cant cut the mustard cant hold a candle to case of mistaken identity cat got your tongue caught in the crossfire caught red-handed caught with her pants down caught with his pants down caught with their pants down Cautiously optimistic Charm offensive Chattering classes checkered past chip on her shoulder chip on his shoulder Chock full chomping at the bit Christmas came early for cleanliness is next to godliness clear as a bell clear as mud close to the vest Closely watched cock and bull story cold shoulder come hell or high water Commentariat Contrary to popular belief Cooler heads prevailed cost a kings ransom count your blessings crack of dawn crash course creature comforts Creature of Washington critics are quick to point out Critics say cross that bridge when you come to it cry her eyes out cry like a baby cry me a river crystal clear Cue the curiosity killed the cat cut and dried cut through the red tape cut to the chase cute as a bugs ear cute as a button cute as a puppy cuts to the quick Cycle of violence dark before the dawn day out day dead as a doornail Depending on whom you ask devil is in the details dime a dozen divide and conquer Dizzying array dog and pony show dog days dog eat dog dog tired Don the mantle of dont burn your bridges dont count your chickens before theyre hatched Dont get me wrong dont look a gift horse in the mouth dont rock the boat dont step on anyones toes dont take any wooden nickels done that been Double down down and out down at the heels down in the dumps down on her luck down on his luck down on their luck down the hatch down to earth draw the line dressed to kill dressed to the nines drives me up the wall dull as dishwater dyed in the wool eagl e eye ear to the ground early bird catches the worm earn her keep earn his keep earn their keep easier said than done easy as 1-2-3 easy as pie eat your heart out eat your words eleventh hour enough to piss off the Pope even the playing field every cloud has a silver lining every dog has its day every fiber of my being everything but the kitchen sink eye for an eye Eye-popping eyes in the back of her head Face-saving compromise facts of life fair weather friend fall by the wayside fall head over heals fall head over heels Fallen on hard times fan the flames feast or famine feather in his cap feather your nest Feeding frenzy feeding the frenzy Fevered speculation few and far between fifteen minutes of fame filthy vermin fine kettle of fish fish out of water fishing for a compliment fit as a fiddle fit the bill fit to be tied flat as a pancake flip your lid flog a dead horse fly by night fly the coop follow your heart For all intents and purposes for all intents and purposes for the b irds for what its worth force of nature force to be reckoned with forgive and forget fox in the henhouse free and easy free as a bird fresh as a daisy frightened to death full steam ahead fun in the sun Game-changer garbage out garbage Gestalt get a kick out of get a leg up get down and dirty get her back up get his back up get the lead out get their backs up get to the bottom of get your feet wet gets my goat gilding the lily give and take Gladwellian go against the grain go for broke go him one better go the extra mile go with the flow goes to Washington goes without saying Going forward good as gold good deed for the day good things come to those who wait good time was had by all greek to me green thumb green-eyed monster grist for the mill Grizzled veteran Growing body of evidence growing like a weed gut wrenching pain hair of the dog half a dozen of another hand to mouth hand-wringing happy as a clam hasnt a clue haste makes waste Hastily convened have a nice day have high hope s have the last laugh havent got a row to hoe head honcho hear a pin drop heard it through the grapevine hearts content heart-stopping fear hem and haw high and dry high and mighty high as a kite hit paydirt hold your head up high hold your horses hold your own hold your tongue honest as the day is long Hope filled the air horse of a different color hot under the collar Hot-button issue Hotly contested How did we get here? How I learned to stop worrying and love the I beg to differ i love you more than life itself icing on the cake Iconic If history is any guide if only the walls could talk if only walls could talk If past is prologue if the shoe fits if the shoe were on the other foot If you will. Ignominious end ill-advised in a jam in a jiffy In a nutshell in a nutshell in a pigs eye in a pinch in a word in her element in his element in hot water in over her head in over his head In the digital age In the final analysis in the gutter in the nick of time in the thick of it In the wake of in their element in this day and age in your dreams Increasingly Inflection point Intoned is all the rage is heating up is no exception is no panacea is no silver bullet is not alone it aint over till the fat lady sings It couple it goes without saying it takes all kinds it takes one to know one its a small world its only a matter of time ivory tower Jack of all trades jockey for position jog your memory Johnny-come-lately joined at the hip judge a book by its cover jump down your throat jump in with both feet jump on the bandwagon jump the gun jump to conclusions just the ticket justice is blind Keen observer keep a stiff upper lip keep an eye on keep it simple keep the home fires burning keep up with the Joneses keep your chin up keep your fingers crossed kick his lights out kick the bucket kick up your heels kick your feet up kid in a candy store kill two birds with one stone kiss of death knock his block off knock it out of the park knock on wood knock your socks off kno w him from Adam know the ropes know the score knuckle down knuckle sandwich knuckle under labor of love land on your feet lap of luxury last but not least last hurrah Last-ditch effort last-ditch effort lasted an eternity laughter is the best medicine law of the jungle law of the land lay down the law leaps and bounds Less than you think let sleeping dogs lie let the cat out of the bag let the good times roll let your hair down lets talk turkey letter perfect lick your wounds lies like a rug lifes a bitch lifes a grind light at the end of the tunnel lighter than a feather lighter than air like clockwork like father like son like taking candy from a baby like theres no tomorrow lions share Little-noticed live and learn live and let live long and short of it long lost love look before you leap look down your nose look what the cat dragged in looks like death warmed over loose cannon lose your head lose your temper lost track of time loud as a horn lounge lizard Love it or hate it love d and lost low hanging fruit low man on the totem pole luck of the draw luck of the Irish Machiavellian make hay while the sun shines make lemonade make money hand over fist make my day make no mistake make the best of a bad situation make the best of it make your blood boil man of few words mans best friend Manicured lawns mark my words missed the boat on that one moment in the sun moment of glory moment of truth money to burn more often than not more power to you more than one way to skin a cat More than you think movers and shakers much ballyhooed naked as a jaybird naked truth Naysayers neat as a pin Needless to say needless to say neither here nor there never look back never say never nip and tuck nip it in the bud no action no gain no glory no guts no love lost no pain no skin off my back no stone unturned no time like the present no use crying over spilled milk Nondescript office building nose to the grindstone not a hope in hell not a minutes peace Not as much as you think n ot in my backyard not playing with a full deck Not so fast Not so much not the end of the world not unsurprising not written in stone nothing to sneeze at nothing ventured nothing gained now were cooking off the top of my head off the wagon off the wall offers a rare window Official Washington Oft-cited old hat older and wiser older than dirt older than Methuselah on a roll on cloud nine on her high horse on his high horse on pins and needles on steroids on the bandwagon on the money on the nose on the rocks on the spot on the tip of my tongue on the wagon on their high horse On thin ice on thin ice once bitten one bad apple one born every minute one brick short one foot in the grave one in a million one red cent only game in town only half the battle only time will tell open a can of worms open the flood gates opens a rare window opportunity doesnt knock twice opposites attract Or so it seems Orwellian out of mind out of pocket out of sight out of the frying pan into the fire out o f the woods out on a limb Outside the box over a barrel over the hump pain and suffering Palpable sense of relief panic button par for the course Paradigm shift part and parcel Partisans on both sides party pooper pass the buck patience is a virtue pay through the nose penny pincher Perfect storm perfect storm pig in a poke pile it on pillar of the community pin your hopes on pitter patter of little feet Pity the poor plain as day plain as the nose on your face play by the rules play your cards right playing the field playing with fire pleased as punch Plenty of blame to go around plenty of fish in the sea Point of no return Political football Political theater poor as a church mouse Poster child pot calling the kettle black power couple Predawn raid pull a fast one pull your punches pulling your leg Punditocracy pundits say pure as the driven snow put one over on you put the cart before the horse put the pedal to the metal put your best foot forward put your foot down quick as a bu nny quick as a lick quick as a wink quick as lightning quiet as a dormouse rags to riches raining buckets raining cats and dogs Raise the specter of Raised questions Raises more questions than answers rank and file read between the lines reap what you sow red as a beet red herring reinvent the wheel Remains to be seen Resists easy categorization Resists easy classification rich and famous rings a bell ripped me off rise and shine Rise of the 24-hour news cycle road to hell is paved with good intentions rob Peter to pay Paul roll over in the grave Rorschach test Rose from obscurity rub the wrong way running in circles rushed for time salt of the earth scared out of her wits scared out of his wits scared out of my wits scared out of ones wits scared out of their wits scared stiff scared to death Scarred by war sealed with a kiss Searing indictment seasoned veteran second to none see eye to eye See what I did there? seen the light seismic shifts seize the day sent a shiver down my spin e set the record straight set your teeth on edge sharp as a tack Shifting dynamics Shines a spotlight on shoot for the moon shoot the breeze shot in the dark shoulder to the wheel Shrouded in secrecy shuttered the factory sick as a dog Sigh of relief sigh of relief Since time immemorial sink or swim skating on thin ice Skittish donors slept like a log slinging mud slippery as an eel slow as molasses in January smooth as a babys bottom snug as a bug in a rug some background sow wild oats spare the rod Sparked debate speak of the devil spilled the beans spinning your wheels spitting image of spoil the child spoke with relish spring to life squeaky wheel gets the grease stands out like a sore thumb start from scratch stick in the mud still waters run deep Stinging rebuke stitch in time stop and smell the roses Strange bedfellows straw that broke the camels back strong as an ox stubborn as a mule stuff that dreams are made of stuffed shirt Suffice it to say sweating blood sweating bulle ts system is broken table the talks take a load off take one for the team take the bait take the bull by the horns take the plunge take the tiger by the tail takes one to know one takes two to tango Tapped Tectonic shifts Tenuous at best that and a quarter will get you a cup of coffee The argument goes The devil is in the details the more the merrier The new face of The new normal The Other The powers that be The proverbial the quiet before the storm the real deal the real McCoy the red carpet treatment the same old story The situation is fluid The social fabric The talk of the town The thinking goes the time of my life the tough get going the very fabric of our the wool over her eyes the wool over his eyes the wool over their eyes the writing on the wall There I said it there is no accounting for taste they all lived happily ever after thick as a brick thick as thieves think outside of the box think outside the box third times the charm this day and age this hurts me worse than it hurts you This is not your fathers this point in time three sheets to the wind three strikes against throw in the towel tie one on tighter than a drum Tightly knit time and time again time heals all wounds time is of the essence time will tell Time will tell if tip of the iceberg Tipping point to each his own to the best of my knowledge toe the line tongue-in-cheek Tongues wagging too good to be true too hot to handle too numerous to mention Took to Twitter touch with a ten foot pole tough as nails Trading barbs trials and tribulations tried and true trip down memory lane truth is more complicated Turned a blind eye twice shy twist of fate Twitterati two cents worth two peas in a pod ugly as sin Ultimately under her thumb under his thumb under the counter under the gun under the same roof Underscores Unlikely reformer Unlikely revolutionary Unsung hero until the cows come home unvarnished truth up his sleeve up the creek up to his ears in trouble uphill battle upon deeper reflection upper crust upset the applecart Usher in an era of V for victory vain attempt vain effort vanquish the enemy vested interest Victim of her own success Victim of his own success Wait for it waiting for the other shoe to drop wakeup call War of words War-torn warm welcome watch your ps and qs watch your tongue watching the clock water under the bridge we love to hate were not laughing at you were laughing with you weak as a kitten weather the storm weed them out week of Sundays Well-heeled lobbyists went belly up wet behind the ears What a difference a day makes What a difference a month makes What a difference a week makes What a difference a year makes what goes around comes around what you see is what you get when it rains it pours when push comes to shove when the cats away when the going gets tough when you have lemons white as a sheet White-shoe law firm whole ball of wax whole hog whole nine yards Wide-ranging interview wild goose chase will wonders never cease wisdom of the a ges Withering criticism without a care in the world Woefully inadequate wolf at the door words fail me work like a dog world weary worst nightmare wrong side of the bed yanking your chain yappy as a dog years young you are what you eat You guessed it you only live once youre the boss young and foolish young and vibrant Zeitgeist Please follow and like us:

Five Things Your Students Learn from Field Trips

Five Things Your Students Learn from Field Trips If youre all about allowing your students to learn by doing, keep in mind how beneficial field trips can be for them. Designed well, these outside-the-classroom experiences get students engaged and excited and not just to get out of the classroom. Here are five things your students will learn from field trips: How class teachings translate to everyday life: The topics your students read about in textbooks are brought to life when they have the opportunity to see those concepts in action, as they will on certain types of field trips. What kinds of jobs exist: Theres nothing quite like taking students on a field trip to expose them to the many types of careers out there and fields that they could work in one day. Before any field trip, you should take the time to share more about the people who work in those areas and why their jobs are important. How things really work in the real world: It can be hard for some students to fully grasp ideas just by hearing you discuss them. Reading about the railroad is interesting, but going to a museum to see how locomotives work and the behind-the-scenes details of the construction of railway systems puts it all into perspective. The importance of different cultural institutions: Whether you take your students to a historic place or a nature and science museum, this type of exposure to objects, artifacts, history, and other learning opportunities can have a major impact on your students. How they learn best: By their very nature, field trips are different from standard school days. Students get a lot of hands-on learning and absorb information visually, aurally, and kinesthetically. The trips might open students eyes to the learning styles that suit them well. Field trips immerse students in new settings, which can be a lot of fun. Most importantly, they boost students critical thinking skills, stimulate their learning, and help them retain knowledge.