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In 1961, inventor John Burgeson created the first-ever computerized baseball simulator game. In the decades since, there have been literally hundreds of video games released that, at least in part, are based on his concept. And although every baseball fan can’t play in the majors, anyone can practice their sliders and home-run swings on their gaming consoles.

As spring training approaches, it’s time to continue along the path that Burgeson set out by enjoying these nine classic baseball video games. Batter up!

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Video games sometimes get a bad rap, despite being one of the most popular forms of entertainment on the planet. Seen by some as fodder for a lazy lifestyle, it can be tempting to imagine a couch potato sunken into the sofa with a glazed look over his eyes as he plays the dozenth hour of a war game, moving only his thumbs.

But video games aren’t only meant for the sedentary. Indeed, there are many titles specifically designed to get people out of their seats, to move their bodies and even build up a healthy sweat. Here are 10 games sure to get your blood flowing. Play them and it will be as if you’re in your own personal fitness class!

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Baseball, basketball and hockey all have their place, but it’s clear that America’s favorite sporting pastime is football. Every weekend, tens of millions of fans tune in to watch modern-day gladiators battle it out between the hashmarks. Whether it’s a long pass, an electrifying run or a bone crunching block, audiences simply can’t get enough of the physical matchups the game entails.

But the popularity of football doesn’t stop there. Millions more enjoy playing football video games, and they have for decades. Here are 10 of the best and most popular titles — the games that have captivated players ever since video arcades and home consoles started to pepper the landscape.

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When video games first rose to popularity in the 1980s, arcades were all the rage. Millions would visit the digital fun houses and pop quarters into big cabinet-sized machines to play titles like Pac-Man and Space Invaders, trying to outdo bad guys and get to the next stage.

Eventually technology advanced, allowing players to enjoy gaming at home, mostly with the groundbreaking and extremely popular Nintendo® Entertainment System (NES®). But when smaller handheld consoles made their appearance, a whole new market opened up.

Here’s the history of those gems.

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With the onset of fall, change is in the air. School has started again, the leaves are falling, and of course, it’s the beginning of another season for the National Basketball Association.

But the popular sports league, which is known for stars, scoring and athleticism, is also on display in many favorite video games, from the rudimentary offerings of the 1980s to those pixel-perfect ones today. Yes, basketball gaming is nearly as illustrious as the sport itself!

Here are eight of the best basketball video games ever made.

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When thinking about learning to play a new instrument, it’s important to consider all the options. For instance, what kind of music do you want to play? What is your budget? What type of instrument (i.e., wind, string, keyboard, percussion) holds a personal appeal for you?

Historically, two favorites amongst students have been the trumpet and trombone. These expressive brass instruments are often featured prominently in school bands and orchestras, as well as jazz ensembles and even some rock groups. But what are the differences between the two? And what makes one right for one player and another better for someone else? Let’s learn the answers to these important questions.

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Joining your first band is a momentous occasion! I should know; I joined mine some 15 years ago and it’s given me a great opportunity to learn new skills, meet people, make friends and have fun.

But while playing in a band can be exhilarating, it can also be daunting. There are plenty of responsibilities to consider, like finding time to practice, communicating with bandmates, studying music, contributing new ideas, and improving your technique. Whether it’s school orchestra, jazz band or ensemble, or just a bunch of friends that you want to share mutual musical interests with, here are some helpful tips to get things started right.

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The metaverse is the future of gaming.

A bold statement perhaps, but the alternative digital universe allows people to interact with one another online in a variety of ways, from trading information and cryptocurrency to engaging socially and playing games — all from the comfort of home. Today, many of us are on the web via phones or laptops. In the near future, we may don VR headsets and find ourselves in new, all-encompassing worlds, some even of our own creation.

Metaverse gaming in particular is predicted to be one of the hot new trends in the coming years, but even now, there are myriad options. Gamers can become virtual miners, farmers, warriors, parents, pet owners, goalkeepers in the World Cup or pilots in outer space.

Ready to be transported into an alternate reality? Here are some of the top titles that do just that.

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In the world of stringed instruments, it’s a common question. After all, at first glance, a fiddle and a violin look alike. They seem to sound the same, too, when it comes to tone and range. But there must be a clear distinction, right?

Actually, no. In fact, there is no significant physical difference between the instruments. Rather, what demarcates the two is mostly the music being played and the musical approach being taken. When playing folk, country or bluegrass, for example, the instrument is understood to be a fiddle, but when playing classical music, it’s a violin. Want to know more? Keep reading …

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To tell the origin story of video games, we must look at the early days of computers. In the 1950s, engineers began to use rudimentary machines to design simple games to play. A big breakthrough came in 1962 when MIT student Steve Russell, along with friends, created Spacewar! This title featured controllable spaceships that had to avoid a star’s “gravity” while also engaging in battle against one another.

Though having no real commercial success (its popularity was limited to the relatively small programming community of the era), Spacewar! was so impactful that it is now in the Library of Congress. In the following decade, more innovation took place, with a preponderance of hugely popular games (and their theme songs) like Pong, Space-Invaders and Pac-Man. But it wouldn’t stop there. In this article, we’ll examine the origins of the video game industry and track its massive development. Today, it is a billion-dollar tech enterprise, providing unique experiences made even more immersive when enjoyed with gaming headsets like the Yamaha YH-G01.

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Hearing the sounds of your favorite video game can often be just as important as seeing the visuals. But audio quality can be a tricky matter. Without the right equipment, an attacking army soldier may miss an instruction from a captain, or Mario might not hear the turtle shell shot from Luigi’s go-kart before it’s far too late.

There are other reasons why audio matters when it comes to gaming. What if the other people in the room are making distracting noises, or don’t want to hear you playing? What if your fellow gamers are talking to you on the phone but it sounds more like shouting? Gaming headsets provide the perfect solution.

Here’s a guide to the benefits of using a gaming headset like the Yamaha YH-G01, and the reasons why this simple add-on can help fine-tune and improve your gaming experience.

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Getting together with family for the holidays is about catching up and reconnecting. But sometimes that requires a little something extra — a hearth, of sorts, to gather around. Generations ago that meant a literal fireplace, but today we have even more dazzling options … like video games.

Here are eight of the most family-friendly offerings, all of which are sure to delight and engage players of every skill level. Gather around the game console and enjoy the holidays!

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Your home theater offers a chance at escape. While the mundane world drones on around us, there are exciting fictional avenues that give the imagination new places to go, new adventures to experience — a whole universe of the mystical and magical. Whether that’s a faun meeting you at a lamp post to introduce you to witches and a talking lion, or a young boy with a wand that can change the world, diving into these dreamscapes can enliven and recharge our minds.

Here are eight of the top fantasy television shows and movies — escapes into new lands of enchantment and wonder.

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People often enjoy feeling frightened around Halloween. Each year, many of us dive into movies and media that make the hair on the backs of our necks stand up. Whether it’s revisiting a favorite horror flick or immersing yourself in a scary video game, being shocked and surprised by ghouls and ghosts has become a favorite pastime, especially around the end of October.

In this article, we’ll investigate eight of the most blood-curdling video games, all of which are made even more impactful when played through a dedicated gaming mixer like the new Yamaha ZG01.

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For the past decade-plus, a new style of music and music production has been growing in popularity, particularly amongst younger music fans. The rise of DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) software like Steinberg Cubase, along with compact, affordable recording equipment, has given aspiring artists increased opportunities to create full-blown musical productions in their homes (as opposed to being forced to go into professional recording studios) and to release them to a worldwide audience through social media and popular file sharing websites. The result? A brand-new genre of self-produced songs and artists that are calling the shots and cranking out hits from their bedrooms.

So what is Bedroom Pop, anyway? In this article, we’ll take a deep dive into the sound and history of this burgeoning genre, and identify some of the top practitioners of the style.

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