how.to//blog.skin

Monday, July 19, 2010

How to create a blog skin: a 12-step guide.
Step 1: Choose between a geek and a nerd. Yeah yeah, this thing again. If you chose a geek then you are probably well versed in coding and you will use Notepad (or any text editor). If you chose a nerd you probably know lots of stuff but nothing computer related. So you probably can't create a blog skin cuz Dreamweaver does not have most of the required elements. Adios.
Step 2: Decide on your layout: what you are gonna have on the screen. You could draw up a design plan on a sheet of paper first. How are you going to sort the information? Tabs or no tabs? Any images? Here are a few common/simple layouts:

Step 3: Choose a theme. Although grabbing a theme isn't strictly necessary, it will help you to get hold of ideas more easily. You can choose something as specific as cake, watermelons or muffins, or something as generic as blue, flight or ambience. Always keep your theme in mind.
Step 4: Create a background. If you are planning something complex on the foreground, choose a really simple one, like a pattern or a gradient. If you have something simple on the foreground you can experiment more here.

Step 5: Create any other images you might need. This includes images for the tag board, for the title, a decorative border et cetera. Make sure they fit into your layout.
Step 6: Build your code: Part 1. Code in your structure. All tab bars, nav bars, and div/span blocs are to be put in at this stage. This forms the base where you can build stuff up. Test your site to see if it fits your supposed layout. However, resist the temptation to style your skin first, as we have to add in all the other content stuff first. If you style your skin now and something messes up later, you are in deep sh1t.
Step 7: Build your code: Part 2. Grab all of Blogger's defined elements:

• <$BlogItemTitle$>
• <$BlogDateHeaderDate$>
• <$BlogItemBody$>
• <$BlogDateHeaderTime$>
• <$BlogArchiveURL$>
• <$BlogArchiveName$>

Make sure you know how to use these. Check out somebody's blog skin to see how they are used.
Step 8: Build your code: Part 3. Upload all your images to a reliable source (such as flickr or photobucket, or even tinypic as a last resort). Put in all the images into your code and be sure to test it out. If any of the links are wrong, change them at this stage before cramming in all the other stuff.
Step 9: Build your code: Part 4. Style your skin. Yes, go crazy. Do not use external style sheets, however, because it would be troublesome to upload, especially if you are thinking of sharing your skin on BlogSkins. Remember to repeatedly test your code out, and save multiple copies in case you mess something up seriously.
Step 10: Build your code: Part 5. Add in scripts. This is put for the last because it is the thing that most likely could utterly destroy your work, so SAVE MULTIPLE COPIES!!! If you do not need scripts, all the better.
Step 11: Upload this to a test blog. Try it out and see if the posts and images et cetera work out as they should. If not, try to identify the error and correct it. I find the Firebug addon for Firefox really helpful here cuz you can go to the faulty div itself and see what styling/scripting has been applied to it and made it messy.
Step 12: Once your code works, upload to BlogSkins.com. Share it with the community. Who knows. your skin may become popular! Use it on your blog also, to show off your own skin.

And that's how you create a blog skin.

Labels: How to

10:46 AM

how.to//piano.diploma

Monday, July 5, 2010

How to get a piano diploma: a 12-step guide.
Step 1: Firstly, you need to actually decide to take the diploma. Seriously. If you have doubts about this, then make sure you are certain before going, cuz once you've started you can't stop.
Step 2: Choose between a chicken and a cow. If you chose the chicken, go for DipATCL. It is sufficient meat, and it is also easy to rear, making it a simple way. If you chose the cow, go for DipABRSM. It is chunky and full of meat, but a tough one -- you need the grass to graze, clean water, comfortable environment...
Step 3: Look at the diplomas available. I know that the DipABRSM has Music Performance, Music Direction and Teaching, and what they are generally about are: music performance, music direction and teaching respectively. I chose Music Performance, so the rest of this guide probably pertains to that the most.
Step 4: Submit the application form. On time. This is probably the most important step, cuz if you don't do this, you probably can't take the diploma.
Step 5: Choose your pieces. Preferably choose one from each period -- Baroque, Classical, Romantic and Contemporary -- and get one or two lengthy pieces like a sonata or something. My personal choices were:

• J.S. Bach: Prelude & Fugue no.16 in G minor, BWV861 (Baroque)
• W.A. Mozart: Sonata no.7 in C major, K309 (Classical, long piece)
• Schubert: Impromptu in G-flat major, op.90 no.3, D889/3 (Romantic)
• Brahms: Rhapsody in G minor, op.79 no.2 (Romantic)
• Copland: Scherzo Humoristique 'The Cat and the Mouse' (Contemporary)

Step 6: Practise your pieces. Like, a lot. In a diploma, the examiners are not only looking for accuracy in playing, but also expression, dynamics, articulation, phrasing, pedalling ... generally everything you could possibly do with a piano.
Step 7: Love your pieces. Listen to them on the bus. Dream about them. Get to know them really well, perhaps even memorise them. This step may seem superfluous but trust me, it's necessary.
Step 8: Write Type out your programme notes. Handwriting is not accepted. The ABRSM website has instructions and guidelines on how to do this. Basically, for each piece, type a short bio of the composer, then what the composer was messing with when they was writing the piece, then what the piece is about. Here is where Step 7 comes in handy. For the last section, use your own feelings about the pieces. You do not need to be too technical. Also, do NOT plagiarise. The examiners are way too intelligent for their pants/skirts and can smell a copied piece of work from over 9000 kilometres away.
Step 9: Make sure your pieces and prog notes are perfect. Consult a teacher/senior/friend/parent/uncle/cat/dog/umbrella that is proficient in music and has (probably) taken a diploma before. Apart from giving a copy to my piano teacher, I posted my prog notes on Facebook for my friends and schoolmates to comment on. This happens to be a really good method of getting suggestions and improvements to your notes.
Step 10: Prepare for your viva voce, also known as the examiners-asking-you-random-difficult-questions-about-your-pieces part. Again, Step 7 comes in handy. Look a the ABRSM website for sample questions, or ask your teacher/senior/friend...whatever.
Step 11: Anxiously await the arrival of the letter of doom. Nah, not really -- by now you should be prepared and ready for the message detailing the time and place of your examination. Just make sure you get it.
Step 12: Take the diploma examination. Duh. What did you think?

And that's how you get a piano diploma.

Labels: How to

12:25 AM

profile

i'm alvin.
i come from hwa chong institution in singapore.
i'm in class 2i2. yes, i'm a sparkie.
i'm 14+ years old; celebrated my bdae on feb 12.
my hobbies r simple: reading, piano, com games.
i like animals, especially cats mudkipz.
enjoy my blog.
thx.

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