I am going to Germany (Stuttgart) in July.
Any possibilities to enrich my music collection? + other questions

Hi everybody!
I've noticed that there are some folks from Germany, so I am going there in the summer, suppose for a year... So, just wanted to ask, maybe there are some people from Stuttgart? Who could just give me some info on music shops, CD libraries... don't know, come clubs there (to take CDs there for "listening" at home)? The thing is that my German is quite poor now (yeh, shame on me ) So I don't know how to find anything on German sites.
So what interesting things are there in Germany, and in Stuttgart particularly?
Not only about enrichment of music collection, but just the things I am interested in:
1. Heavy metal (Helloween, Blind Guardian and Accept rule!)
2. Classical music.
3. Singing studying (I am fond of singing, I study it here)
4. Guitar studying.
5. Some good PC shops (I want to buy computer there), places where it is possible to find used hardware.
And everything you would like to tell about Germany and Stuttgart!


Thank you.

Do you want to buy a complete PC or assemble your hardware as you like it?
Media Markt brings very cheap offers for assembled PCs. Otherwise you should go to a little PC shop that does not belong to any big company. These are usually the cheapest!

In Media Markt (and Saturn), if there is one in Stuttgart, you should find a huge choice of CDs and they shouldn't be expensive. I do not know any local CD shop, you should simply ask the pple over there .

In June there is a Blind Guardian concert in Coburg and Geilenkirchen. That's sadly to early for you .

fragtal

Uh? At least for fairly modern CDs, I have found the prices to be nearly identical, no matter where you look (Media Markt, Saturn, Karstadt) - 16-20 EUR is pretty much standard.


For older releases, you can often find a bargain if you search around a little, even in the big stores. You might want to look at Zweitausendeins, though - pretty unknown, but they really have wacking deals. I have bought CDs from them that would have cost me nearly twice as much in the big stores.

I just looked at the catalogue - they have a shop in Stuttgart too: "Esslinger Straße 8, gegenüber Parkhaus Breuninger (Tel. 0711/244514)".

Have fun on your trip. Enjoy the strong accent many people speak down there.

Oh, and stay away from ready-built "brand PCs" in the big stores, they're evil. Small corner shops are a much better choice.

>Do you want to buy a complete PC or assemble your hardware as you like it?
Of course I want to assemble it. I've assembled a lot of comps myself. So it is not a problem at all. Even better will be the way to buy used componentry. (I.e. HD, CD-RW drive, motherboard separately.)

>Media Markt brings very cheap offers for assembled PCs
Is there one at Stuttgart?

>In June there is a Blind Guardian concert in Coburg and Geilenkirchen. That's sadly to early for you.
Yeh, that's a pity!

>Have fun on your trip.
Yeh that would be great! Germany is such an interesting and outstanding country!

>Enjoy the strong accent many people speak down there.
But I'll try to speak as much German, as it possible. In fact I am going to study it. My profession is that of interpreter of English and German, but we study it here, at the University, say, not very thoroughly.

By the way, such a question: How do people in Germany treat foreigners? I've heard that generally German people don't like foreigners, and Russians too, especially men. They consider them all a part of Russian mafia I’ve heard such things here from some people and from TV mostly. But frankly speaking, I don’t think that it is really so, I suppose it’s a myth… I think (don’t know why ) that German people are very friendly (I suppose I think so, because Germany is a very developed country (culture and economics, both)). As for our people, there is a lot of nazism here. It is not aimed on me, as I am of Ukrainian nationality, but nevertheless it is so disgusting!

Man if i went to Stuttgart i'd have bought a lotta hard-trance, makina, rave, hardcore, and such music there! Germany rules in these fields .
Enjoy your trip MusicLover.

Please do not generalize! As a German (what I in fact not am, cause one of my parents is French ) I do not like (I hate it) the prejudice that Germans are nazis. Please differ between those who do not like foreigners and those who do treat them like every other person (that is meant in positive way ) Besides, it strongly depends on the region of the country. The South is more prosperous than the rest of Germany (especially the Est) and has a tradition to ellect right wing parties. Maybe it is because Austria is directly beside (uh oh, I detect prejudices in my own thoughts ) So you should be prepared to prejudices of some (like in other countries too) pple there but NOT ALL. There are always exchange students from France in my school and there have never been obvious problems so that a French student did not feel at ease. IMHO this is due to the fact that all pple at my (bilingual) school have often to do with other countries. In Stuttgart it might be the same. There are many students from other countries so that everyone should be used to it. As a student you will be surrounded by other students. I suppose that racism is not usuall among university students like it is among unemployed guys who are not educated.

I do not like to thought that in the TV of an European country they polarise against Germans or any other country. Maybe Murdoc (the owner of most British and US media) has bought some of your TV-channels?

fragtal

If you are in Stuttgart and want to buy CDs check out "die Lerche" (There are two in Stuttgart). Lerche is pretty pricey though and I'm not familiar with their assortment of CDs but I think the variety is decent. Stuttgart has a large music library which you might also want to check out. The Music Academy offers guitar courses and on the black board there you will surely find someone who will give you private lessons if you wish.

If you want to go clubbing, you could check out the "M1", but it's mostly house music there. I can't help you out on the heavy metal side.

"Metacomp" is a nice computer shop which offers (a small) rebate for students and a friendly competent staff. Their prices can't compete with the mail-order companies, but who can? They are not overly expensive, mind you.

Since Stuttgart is a university city it is pretty multicultural and I don't think you'll run into any troubles or stick out, if that's what you're worried about. There is some racial tension here and there across the country which I can't deny, but I doubt you will get to feel any of it. Personally, I have never considered anyone to come from the russian mafia.

As for the language, heh, beware of the Swabian dialect! It's more than just a different type of pronunciation, it has it's own grammar and vocabulary. After all the years I've been living here (in fact I was born here, but I spent part of my life somewhere else), I still have problems sometimes. Most of the "foreign" vocabulary was imported from france during the time when high society meant trying to be french.

If you happen to come to Saarbruecken in Saarland you should check out Rex Rotari and Gimmix for CDs, LPs and other music stuff. Both shops have a lot of various metal genres... although I must say that I'm not into any type of Metal musickness ;-) they seem to have the right stuff for everyone, according to friends of mine who're into this kind of music...

Here's a link to Rex Rotari's web page. Currently there isn't anything on the site. They had their address on the site, maybe it is back at the time you're in germany...

Here is a link to Stuttgart public library. Maybe you find some CDs you like.

At www.prinz.de you'll find information about nightlife.

In my experience a neat way to learn languages (e.g. German) is to browse websites using a translation tool like babylon (shift-rightclick on a word -> translate).

Hey guys, first of all - thank you very much for your help! It is so handy for me, to get to know everything, before I'll go there...

>Please do not generalize! I do not like (I hate it) the prejudice that Germans are nazis.
Yeh, I am very sorry, that was a stupid question... Of course I don't mean that Germans are nazis! Suppose I have to go there and to judge myself, but not to trust TV… They, I suppose, just asked about the attitude to Russians some uneducated and uncultivated people…

>I do not like to thought that in the TV of an European country they polarise against Germans or any other >country. Maybe Murdoc (the owner of most British and US media) has bought some of your TV-channels?
Well, it is quite possible... But you know, such statements are very rare. In fact we live here nearly as before under the "iron curtain", it is still very difficult to go to Europe and vice versa. Usually people are interested just in local events, we live in a shell of our own. Nobody but few are interested what is happening outside the country. And only few have the possibility to leave this shell (temporary or permanently)... The life here goes from bad to worse; you just cannot imagine the scope of corruption! They are stealing smth permanently; I wonder how anything is left! :-( Well, that's how it is… Of course I understand, that everything about the nationalities is much more complicated, and it cannot be generalized, but what is important for me is that cultured people in your country as well as in mine respect other nationalities and cultures. And I just don’t care about few fools who are in every country! But, let’s just not talk about it… It not a pleasant theme, I suppose… I understand, everything is how I think about it, i.e. depends on the circumstances.

>on the black board there you will surely find someone who will give you private lessons if you wish.
Pardon, what do you mean by black board?

Das schwarze Brett (i.e. black board) is a board located near the entrance of any university building where everyone may stick offers, requests and so on.
If you like classical music, the RSO Stuttgart (Radio Symphony Orchestra, chief conductor is Roger Norrington) offers reduced entry fee for students.

Speaking of Stuttgart, as a hip-hop fan, I have to mention the Stuttgart hip-hop scene. There are some german hip-hop albums definitely worth checking out. Oh, and if you like soul, "J-Luv - Kontraste" and "Xavier Naidoo" are a MUST!

Speaking about the library:
1. Do they give CDs away, so to take them home?
2. Do they permit foreigners to use their services?

Heh, sorry for my too literal translation of "schwarzes Brett". The correct term would be bulletin board (you know, like in BBS

The library lets you take the CDs home for a week or two and (depending on who is interpreting the law) it's even legal to make copies of those CDs for your own private use. I see no reason why they wouldn't offer their services to foreigners, but I don't know for sure.

@ Gambit

Xavier Naidoo != Stuttgart
Xavier Naidoo = Mannheim

Die fantastischen Vier = Stuttgart B)

In what way should law be interpreted, then, Gecko?
It must be pretty much like in Belgium (where I live).
I assume they ask a kind of compensation in Germany as well, when you borrow library CDs?

Good luck on the trip, Musiclover Hard to give you advise as non-German, but let me wish you success

Then, @ SK1:
SK1 , what happened to SK?
Had SK reached the maximum amount of posts a typical HA account allows?

Free training available here.

Don't worry, the media in eastern Europe tends to exaggerate these tendencies in Germany, I know this from Poland, too. I'm not saying that you can't find any dumbass skinhead types where you want to go, but as you said yourself, those guys can be found all over the world now, not exclusively in Germany. And as far as I've understood you, you're planning to live among the student crowd there, so it will be very very unlikely that you will ever meet someone from that part of the german society.

I think it's even save to say that most of the Germans are more friendly or open to Russians than in former times, because the Iron Curtain is gone for some years now and we can take a closer look at your country and the people. For example there have been some TV documentations from a well known journalist who travelled Russia several times now (and knows the country very well), and these broadcasts have been repeated over and over again with millions of Germans watching them every time, because he really knows how to show something of the "Russian Soul" and the reasons for it in his documentary.

Last but not least I think that with the recent political atmosphere between Germany or "Old Europe" as a whole and the U.S.A. this tendency will eventually become stronger here... But enough of politics, did you already visit http://www.stuttgart.de which is the official website of the town? You can click on an english version (if you prefer to inform yourself in that language), and then you'll be transferred to this site:
http://www.stuttgart-tourist.de/english/st...gart/index.html

This is probably a good start for a foreigner who doesn't know anything about Stuttgart. By the way, Karlsbad is not far away, so maybe you would like to visit Ahead Software?

[Edit]
Sorry, I just realized that you're from the Ukraine, not from Russia - must have been my TV in the background that is showing a documentary about a famous Russian right now.

Yeah, of course I know that Xavier is "ein Sohn Mannheims". I was speaking about german music in general.

"did you already visit http://www.stuttgart.de which is the official website of the town?"
No, I didn't. I'll look it all through. Thanks for the link.


And by the way, I didn't have time to disillusion you. The trip actually has not much to do with my study... I am going to take a leave of long duration in the University, and I'll live there, in Germany in a German family. The thing is called AU-PAIR. I suppose you know something about it... I don't know much about it What is the attitude of German people to this event and to the people who participate in it? For me it is just the way to meet new interesting people, to see the country, to study the language, to rest from my study here , to listen to new music and to have a lot of fun, of course...
So, as you see, I won't be among the students all the time...

And thanks for your answers in such an egoistical thread You help me very much to gain an understanding of all this...

Wake up MusicLover. Russian Mafia has you.
Frankly speaking i beleive there is no more criminal in our country that in all over the world. yap.
Such kind of social problems has no borders, unfortunatelly it is an inalienable part of humanity. These words have the same power, when speaking 'bout nazism.


If everything goes as planned - i will be in the same situtaion as you in the end of this summer - gonna visit England

SenatR The Last
"i will be in the same situation as you in the end of this summer - gonna visit England"
Good luck to you, man. Are you also in AU-PAIR, or is it exchange of students?

To All:
If somebody of German speaking people could answer another my question, I'll be obliged.
It is about musical education in Germany...
You know it's possible, that I'll study there... I want to receive musical education there in Germany (at least that's my cherished dream, realization of which will make me entirely happy actually the dream which I haven't revealed to anybody, cause I'm afraid they'll began to persuade me that I'm a bad signer ). (Another variant for me is to be a zoologist – another very interesting thing for me…) Do you know where it is possible in Germany generally and in Baden-Württemberg (or Stuttgart) in particular? You know, my interest to music grows more and more, now it is at least like a passion... I want to study vocals...
Thank you very much.

>>>I assume they ask a kind of compensation in Germany as well, when you borrow library CDs?'<<<

compensation? here in canada we don't have to give anything to borrow CDs from the library. the due date is 2 weeks after you sign it out, and you can extend it if this item is not on the "waiting list". they have pretty good selection, too. a lot of out-of-print classical stuff made in west germany, switzerland, holland, england, you name it. and these CDs are in two and three piece sets, and still include a special cloth to clean the disc, and even a sponge-like cushion between the two discs so that they won't get scratched (ahhh the good old days when CDs were just coming out). not a lot of pop or contemporary, though

there are no written policies about what you can do with the CD after you take it home. they don't ask questions here. i guess it's take it home, do whatever the hell you want with it, and give it back in good condition by the due date. works for me

There's the "Musikhochschule Stuttgart" http://www.mh-stuttgart.de/ (page in German, if you need help translating, pm me)

They have singing lessons, but I don't know if they require some sort of degree in order to be allowed to study there.

@outscape: in our local library which also offers some CDs (but doesn't have a huge collection), you have to pay a yearly fee of 10€.

Thank you very much Gecko! You helped me so much! Now I am crowling all over the site and translate it using my Promt and Lingvo 8...
I don't want to bother you, so I'll try to understand everything myself... But thanks again, if there will be really hard pieces I'll ask you...

Hi!

i can't tell you anything about stuttgart, i live in bremen. but my new girlfriend teaches singing. she tells me, that in germany the (privat) music schools getting money, so that the teachings are not so expensive. but on the other hand the district have to rafter, so it's reduced and the teachings are getting more expensive. my girlfriend is angry, she is loosing her job in a few years. so to find someone who teach you, isn't the problem. maybe the musicschool in stuttgart even have a homepage, where you see the prices?

Hi, darkbutterfly!
As far as I understood you, the study at private schools is not very expensive, but it is getting more expensive... But why? I didn't understand Or is it getting more expensive to teach?
And could you just tell me, what is the fee (approximately):
1. Of private teachers
2. Of private schools
(E.g. here I study signing with a private teacher (for half a year already) I pay him ~$1.5 per hour Sure, there are no such prices at Germany )

And some more questions:
1. Could smb tell me, is it possible, that the study at music institutions could be free?And I am still crawling on the site of Musikhochschule Stuttgart (http://www.mh-stuttgart.de/) but I didn't find yet (just these are the most important tnings for me now):
1) Whether the study paid there, or not?
2) What level of knowledge of German language should the potential student possess?

When I was taught german in school, my teacher would play german pop music she said.
It was by a band called "Die Prinzen", and the song was about becoming a millionaire.

It went something like

"I have no money,
and I don't know why,
but I have a big mouth.
I'm not a doctor,
or professor,
and I'm not extremely rich.
I don't have any rich girlfriends,
or any rich friends..."
(then something I didn't understand)

chorus goes "I would really like to be a millionaire...".

I don't know why I'm posting this, except that your combined use of germany and music reminds me of my german classes in school, and I have to point that out.