(NOTE FROM BOB ON THE WEB: I DID NOT INCLUDE ALL THE LINKS LISTED IN THIS ARTICLE AS THEY ARE ALREADY LISTED ON THE "Bob's Favorite Links" PAGE ON THE CEDAR CREST STUDIO WEBSITE)

Ok, let's start by puttin' on your fav surf song. Maybe it's "Let's Go Surfin'" by the Beach Boys, or "Wipeout" by the Surfari's, or even something by the Ventures or Dick Dale & the DelTones. Maybe you'd go for the more recent Mermen, Los Straitjackets, or Laika & the Cosmonauts. Me.... I'm putting on the "Out Of Limits" LP by the Ventures.

OK, next step. Fire up the computer and plug into the Internet. Yes... Bob's on the World Wide Web. I just got plugged in about a month or so ago, and I'm Amped. Stoked. Wired. As Chevy Chase would say in Modern Problems... " I.... Like It !" So why the music ???

Because you're gonna' need something to fill the moments as you sit and wait for pictures, sounds, and quick-time (Ugh!!) movies to download. I don't care how fast your modem is.... it's STILL gonna' take some time. DL'ing images is OK, but the sounds are terrible bacause the bandwidth isn't there....yet. Can you say "distortion", kiddies? And for MY $$$$ Quick-time movies is only a little step better than my Dad's old 8mm film reels. Come to think of it, at least Dad's movies weren't "jerky". Until they get a better system I don't even bother, not that I need to watch movies on the net anyway. So why DO I "need" the net? Well, there's the reason for this installment of NFTW.

For those musicians in the crowd already getting your intellectual feet wet in the Surf, please bear with me. For those of you with a computer/modem.. or those even thinking about getting into it... LISTEN UP !!! The future of music is comin' down the Pipeline and it's moving at the speed of light.

Assuming you, the reader, grasps the concept of the Internet... think of it as having access to the entire world of information. Vast storages of information. Every reference book and paper published, every article ever written on any subject (no matter HOW diverse), every peice of music ever published or released, every record company bothering to list themselves, every artist interested in furthering their career... well, I think you're getting the picture. i know it sounds too good to be true, but you'd better believe it. I've been to the mountain and returned and I can tell you there's a ^%$#-load of stuff out there. And you can surely get bogged down in it as well. And how much does this miracle cost ??? I'm glad you asked, because that's the shocker. For only $20 a month I get a local "server" to call through and get hooked in........... Are you still waiting for more???? Well, there isn't any. That's IT! Honest. I haven't spent ONE CENT more for access to all the world's info. Susan can't quite believe it herself. She keeps pouring over the phone bills looking for some more charges. But unless I actually purchase something over the Net by using a credit card, I can access information all day long for only $20 per month. Let's narrow the scope a little to concern just musicians.

First of all, most major musical equipment manufacturers maintain websites to access. For example, try Roland's website (http://www.rolandus.com). The site's will display all the latest in Roland technology, and like most sites give information on feedback (not the acoustical kind... the info kind). No more waiting for snail mail to deliver those brochures. just plug in and drool !! You would be surprised at the number of manufacturers getting on the electronic bandwagon.

Next, check out music publishing companies. I'm a member of BMI, so all I have to do to access my catalog of songs is go to the BMI website (http://www.bmi.com). Check out ASCAP (http://www.ascap.com) or SESAC (http://www.sesac.com). If you need proper representation in the implementation of your published works, go to the Harry Fox Agency (http:/www.nmpa.org/). All of these sites support EMail for instant gratification.

Want to educate yourself more about music itself. No problem. You don't HAVE to spend $20,000 for a Full Sail Education... just punch up CERL Sound Group at the University of Illinois (http://datura.cerl.uiuc.edu/schools/courses.html). Here's a couple other sites: Dept. of Music at Leeds University in London (http://www.leeds.ac.uk/music/Menu/mus_depts.html), Dept. of music at Durham University (http://www.capella.dur.ac.uk/doug/res_site.html), or even Technology in Music and Related Arts Dept. at Oberlin College (http://talbert3.con.oberlin.edu/emusic/links.htm) All these sites also have links to other related sites. The road goes on forever. Knock yerself out. And if you use a search engine you can just type in what your looking for and the software will do the rest. It's almost TOO easy.

Now.... When you need a moment's diversion from the task at hand, there are plenty of places to play. Try a few of these, which are some of my favorites. I'm not going to include exactly what the sites are about. It'll be more fun that way:

(http://www.pythonline.com)

(http://axsamer.org/wcxs/musicdir/rcfull.html),

(http://axsamer.org/wcxs/music_artists.html),

(http://www.afn.org/~afn07753/index.html/afnherb.htm)

(http://windvane.umd.edu/~solex/tick.html)

(http://axsamer.org/wrld/index.html)

(http://www.yahoo.com/Computers_and_Internet/Internet/Entertainment/Interesting_Dev ices_Connected_to_the_Net/Spy_Cameras/)

(http://www.loskene.com/singalong/kirk.html)

(http://www.yahoo.com/Entertainment/Movies_and_Films/Multimedia/Sounds/)

(http://fly.hiwaay.net/~lkseitz/comics/herogen/herogen.cgi)

(http://www.holonet.net/uelectric/houdini)

(http://student-www.eng.hawaii.edu/goose/Jokes/ALL/)

(http://www.disinfo.com/)

This last one is my home page, which as you will notice is under construction. We should have it up and running soon. Bookmark this address and check in with us once in a while. I would enjoy your EMail concerning the website. At least wait until I'm finished with it.. OK? (http://www.oznet.com/cedarcrest/). HAPPY SURFING !!!!!