Syn's rant list

[Synapse309]

I'm sure I posted my stories aplenty, lol.
I'm not prolific in any way, not even particularly productive, creativity I use all the time though. If I'm not figuring something out on my own or discover a better way of doing something, I learn something new from someone.

Hence me channeling my hyperactivity by mega-blogging here, *smirk*. It's something I can do relatively quietly without disturbing anyone in my direct environment.

I have projects 'on hold' and many more still in concept that I never began.

In high school (oh no, a rant!) we had to choose in grade 10 between music and art - I chose art, as I could then get into another art class for extra credit. Had I chosen music instead, my second music class would have been my regular instrument lessons. I wasn't studying any, so... music fell by the wayside. But I kept loving it. I spent many quiet nights in my youth laying awake and vividly 'daydreaming' or 'visualizing' a specific musical piece. It was so distinct and clear that I could 'remember' actively and literally 'hear' in my mind each instrument, e.g., separately. I mean, I would be able to imagine the Flying Pickets' rendition of "Only you" without the lead vocal and just hear the backup guys... anyone else's memory that vivid? I sometimes 'vcr' a scene from a movie in my mind to remember something from it, like an overlay over my vision. I don't know what you call that. Active recall or something?
I can't believe I never looked THAT up on wiki, lol. Yet another project. Baaah.

I was in only one real jam session ever. And since the other guys' goal was to rehearse a song they wrote together, I was not much help, not having studied music, so I sat in the corner and drew charcoal...
Good song though.

I gotta start a new one now ...

[Synapse309]

I remember talking with a friend once who really liked Kurt Cobain and his music. The guitar, the anger, the voice... everything. I'm down with that. Kurt was a good artist - RIP.
Now my friend mentioned that he can play the songs, save the drums and some solos, of course, and that he could sing the lyrics perfectly, but he couldn't get that raspy, throaty voice quite right, especially without screaming, and we all know THAT hurts after like 30 sec.
I kept trying to show him how to constrict and he could clamp down to almost a gargle even when whispering. He never got that. I could never explain it right.
That must've been in 1994 or 1995. That's the first time I ever even thought theoretically about tone-altering techniques.
Never heard throat singing before October of 2009.
I am coming into this like a plane crash, people. It's as if I had been drawn invisibly for a long time and suddenly the source of the pull is visible. Four months I been at this. I can't explain it all rationally. I could express this thusly:
Sisters of Mercy - Temple of Love
Metallica - Sad But True
Metallica - The Thing That Should Not Be
Metallica - Seek and destroy
Peter Gabriel - Sledgehammer
Peter Gabriel - In Your Eyes
Prince - Kiss
Nirvana - Stay away
Einstürzende Neubauten - Halber Mensch
Einstürzende Neubauten - Seele brennt
Mike Oldfield - Ommadawn
Cranberries - Zombie
Deicide - Once Upon the Cross
Slayer - Raining Blood
Creed - One Last Breath
Seven Mary Three - Water's Edge
Morbid Angel - Dawn of the Angry
AC/DC - Back In Black
Machine Head - Davidian

hmm

Talk amongst yourselves, I need to reflect upon some stuff, lol

[Synapse309]

Wow, I wonder how many characters I've posted to date.

All this writing isn't the best outlet. Perhaps if I could enhance that with illustrations.
I got up way before the kids today for some reason.
So I decided to play this morning.
Just playing around with the mixer and MIC. I don't like what I get.
The monitor headphones feedback like crazy, or else I'm bussing the mixer wrong and it feeds back on itself somehow. I thought I understood the concept. I guess not.

I can plug the reverb and compression on the bus, but the recording track records the monitor output instead of the dry signal. I am certain I have the signal go directly into the input track and not routed through the bus. But I don't really like the sound on the monitor if I turn the FX off either. The dry signal isn't "clean" at all. It reverbs somehow. Perhaps a weird setting error when selecting input streams. I get the feeling I get the same MIC signal overlap itself, but on like a 10 ms delay or something. It's also too noisy in here to really tell on the phones.
I'll figure it out somehow. Troubleshooting goes better when you have someone there as a second brain.
Meanwhile, we've been playing around with media and found that my daughter really likes Lady Gaga. She'll be three years old in two weeks. She is watching a video at the moment and dancing along with the choreography and singing the song along. I am blown away by it. She only saw the video like 6 or 7 times and got it nailed. But then she does this with TV shows as well. Our preschooler channel repeats the same episode of a show 3 times daily. If she ever sees the same show twice in one day, she'll act the story out with the show. It's something, alright.

I love taking video of her and cutting little clips together to music. She is good on cam.

I do have a channel on YouTube as well, same name. Come check it out sometimes. I hardly ever do anything there. Trying not to expose the family to the world too much. They're shy like that.

Gonn dig the Keyboard out and see how she is on the power switch today. She likes singing, so...

[Synapse309]

Well, keyboard didn't happen, all of a sudden I became busy.

But I recall something about horses now.

Horseback riding looks fun, yes. When it's a carnival nag and you're 8 and the horse bucks you off and bites you, it changes your relationship with the whole species, and even donkeys.

It wasn't until the comet Hyakutake came within close proximity of Earth's orbit in spring of 1996 that I was hooked up with a girl whose parents run boarding stables. They introduced me to one of the stallions in the corral who was extremely used to humans and never mistreated. He was brown and slightly larger, probably an Arab breed, but he was so gentle and warm, it made me rethink my stance on horses. Two weeks later I rode a quarterhorse named Jasmin. She was sweet, too, and we hung out for over an hour before I saddled her. She was so careful not to step on my in her pen, I was moved. That little horse took me through trails and streams in the backwoods and I trusted her implicitly. That's the kind of animal you need by your side when herding, I think. She was so cheery yet obedient and very aware. Made me yearn to be a herder of some kind...

---

I think I set up my MIC wrong altogether. I believe it's looking for a stereo MIC, but I'm using a single-channel one. I have to check and see whether my input mix is causing the weird feedback. I think it might be self-amplifying in the mixer. The crap I have to learn to overcome... so time-consuming. But it enriches me nonetheless. So I appreciate it.

Forum's been right quiet today. Everyone's busy doing their thing. I was busy doing everyone else's things... lol

I live for this ^&^*

The playlist I posted is supposed to represent a glimpse into my musical journey. It's very abridged, of course, and many tracks are obscure to the mainstream. Many feature impressive or distinctive vocal performances that inspired me over the years. I couldn't list them all, but I think it's a good list. If anyone wants to hear clips, I'm sure I can provide somehow.

Back to a busy busy week...

[Synapse309]

So I took some time to practice breathing again. It's so important, don't neglect that.

Then I worked on my Xorekteer, trying to get higher notes. I was having trouble hitting anything above 300Hz while constricting - it would just disintegrate and flip into false if I tried. I'm slowly getting a handle on it.

All that work helped, and I am now finally able to do a REAL Sygyt, what with Xorekteer under it and all!! It's still rather quiet, except when I accidentally hit a sweet spot and it really resonates loudly. It's the key to attenuating the fundamental note, I guess.

Before I guess I was doing a sort of Western/Tuvan Hybrid, which rings loudly, but has a pronounced, clear base note without much constriction whatsoever. I somehow got attenuation by swallowing my tongue. The result was a nice, melodic whistle with good range, but a hollow, loud base - AND I was forming the melody on top of my tongue, behind my teeth. I think that's the wrong spot!?!

When I do it right, which I still need to get used to as it leaves me breathless yet, the higher notes come from just under my uvula. I can totally feel the sound vibrate the back of my tongue instead of my palate. It also lets me relax the tongue even more. I looked in the mirror, and even my face shows less strain this way. I can have a stoic expression now, rather than a "guitar face".

My Khoomei got a $#!+load better. I wanna now learn velum control. I can do wonderful sounds with this. Joy! Also nice and easy to do compared to the other methods. Dymchuktaar is no problem either since I confirmed with a stranger at work that they can hear the melody just fine. Blew them away, actually. I now do this instead of humming all the time.

Kargyraa - well here's my pet project. The first style I got down pat, albeit without Xorekteer. It's what got me going and motivated me to learn Khoomei in the first place. As I may have mentioned before I watched a YouTube tutorial on it and tried ONCE and got it right. Probably all that Heavy Metal growling in my history preparing me for it. Now I get proper technique, hollow tube sounding, sweet, soft Kargyraa. Low and high. Droning or croaky.
This brings up a question: Holding a mid-range note and adding Xorekteer AND false folds results in a deep drone, depending on how much I clamp down, I can control how bright the rasp is, from a kitten purr to a hammer drill. Holding a higher note and clamping down more results in a bright, hard, almost brassy sound that I can do somewhat soft, but not very well. I can do it bright and croaky, though. I think the ventricular folds vibrate much faster on this one, but I could just be a layperson...

Are those different sub-styles of Kargyraa? They sound quite different. I have attempted and approximated Oidupaa's style, but that's different again from the other two. I get the best Oi by opening my sinuses and clamping harder, but not to a aquelch, and then singing high. Not much overtoning there, unless I "engage" Xorekteer as well, which cancels the nasal and brings me back to the higher style. All in all that's cool. I like it.

Vladimir is amazing. I tried to just vocalize the tune along to his CD, but I found that his songs are too high for me. I could do them if they were almost an octave lower... but then it doesn't sound like Oidupaa any more, except the nasal quality.

Then I listened to a lot of Albert Kuvezin. I believe his normal voice is close to that of the singer of the "Crash Test Dummies", only he adds Kargyraa. Or dies he? Kanzat sounds like a bass singer "eating" the MIC and rattling just the vocal chords very slowly, then attenuating the sharp "s" and "t" sounds when singing lyrics. When his tune goes higher in pitch, you can hear him clamp his throat tighter, adding vibrato and backing off from the MIC. But what do I know besides NEVER being able to go that low. Is there anyone besides Albert who can do Kanzat?

I have practiced every day for three and a half months - hardcore. I went strict on basics, although I wandered off course (being, Xorekteer, Khoomei, Kargyraa, Sygyt, etc.) by doing Kargyraa, then Khoomei and Sygyt and then concentrating on refining my Xorekteer. Nonetheless I have arrived and I feel confident I can do some demos and impress some people.

I can't wait to show off

[throatsinger]

First, glad you're ok; you hadn't posted in a couple days, and we were just on the phone with the cops. Thought maybe Jens kidnapped you for his forum

A few things: There are many types of kargyraa, but can't say more about what you're doing without hearing you.

If your attempts at xorekteer are instead producing karg, bring the constriction a bit lower in the larynx.

Kuvezin: Yeah, I can sing that low. It is simply his karg; a writer friend suggested the kanzat name and AK liked it, so he uses that. That's why he's the only "kanzat" singer. What's cool to me about AK's karg/kanzat isn't how low he can go, but how fat and wide he sounds when he brings the pitch up in his range. THAT'S unsual. And his speaking voice/normal singing is nowhere near that low.

Chilandyk on 60 Horses? Where? I don't recall it.

Stile Oidupaa: Yeah, he sings high. It's not impossible, but it helps to be closer to 5' tall than 6. I can do it if I practice it for a while, but it's not something I do all the time.

Kaigal-ool's lips thang: Do a search here for vibrato, tremolo, etc.

[hjernespiser]

But Igor is rather tall and he sings Oidupaa's high style!

[Synapse309]

Lmao, cops can't find me, my name is too common, dude.

Thanks for the info. I will have a little time tomorrow morning and will try to record again...

I don't get the height remark. I'm 6'-2" and I can do high notes, just not in Vladimir's range. I suppose that will get better in time...

I also did a quick search of my YouTube comments and my email sent items and realized that on November 30th, I have been practicing for a week, so I'm an absolute newb.

I heard a track on a Yat-Kha album that is really just Al Kuvezin showcasing his vocal control. I'll try to do something like that and upload it. Probably in several chunks, since my server is not working as of yet. So linking files from my own web pages won't work, I'll have to find some other way to share my files.

Gonna get some sleep now, so I'm rested for the morning's joy.

[Synapse309]

Oh and HHT's track 8 is from" If I'd been born an Eagle" and called simply "Chylandyk". I like it, but I think it sounds very strange and eerie without music.

Sorry about the mixup there, I had slipped a column on my mp3 player.

[Synapse309]

It is official: I can't record.

I tried everything and all I get is a delayed, reverbed, echoey, feedback piece of crap.

I give up

My thingy should record just like when you record voice in teamspeak, e.g.

It should be JUST the voice, perhaps a little background noise. I'm not even routing the output to speakers to eliminate feedback. Anything I record at louder than say -20dB goes into a loop and starts the inevitable drowning out by sine wave. I am really disappointed and close to tears.

I have gorramn $400 audio software, a $150 MIC and a $2000 DELL and I can't even record myself speaking an intro.

And thus we are delayed another week at least.

[Synapse309]

Well I'm lucky after all. It was a stupid setting mistake that makes the "what you hear" output channel loop back into the sound card, thus creating delay and feedback. Took almost 2 hours to find the problem, but I can record "dry" audio now and monitor with reverb while recording, just as I planned to.
Therefore tomorrow I get another crack at recording, since the Olympic torch is coming through my town and my mother and kids will be attending, leaving me time to myself for a bit.

I would like to take this opportunity to officially announce my goal to sing "O Canada" in Sygyt in time for the Olympic opening ceremonies. My friend Grant suggested this. I was shocked not to have thought of it first, being Canadian and all.

I'm practicing it all day now and it CAN be done, so...

Give me a break, this is as much Olympic excitement as I can muster.

[Synapse309]

I heard a track on a Yat-Kha album that is really just Al Kuvezin showcasing his vocal control.

The Track is "Kargiraam" on "Yenisei Punk"

[Synapse309]

Getting real close to nailing the anthem. Good practice in a great room today. Had some cardboard tubes lying around, about 3" by 54", probably a bit bigger than a didj, I can't say, I never owned one. Makes for a cool sounding Kargyraa, hahaaaaa (evil laugh).

Oidupaa style is getting a little better, but I'm not devoting a huge amount of time to it.

Concentrating mainly on Sygyt lately. My weak point is holding a steady note while maintaining constriction. I can hit the notes fine and getting better daily, but not "drifting" the fundamental is haaaaard, especially when there's noise. Then I barely hear myself being sharp or flat. I shall try recording with a steady note on headphones some time, like pianists use metronomes.

I got a slight issue holding a steady base for Kargyraa, too, but it's not quite as noticeable. I get my original "name that tune" song better and clearer now. The super high "aeaeaeae" note necessary, assuming "uuuu" is the lowest, comes much easier now.

Mouthful of sound indeed. Enough to scare the raccoons from the yard or wail in high pitch like a distorted siren. Or humming a soft tune through your nose while working. Workout for my back.

I find it best to practice while I'm busy already doing things, I mean, as far as formant shaping is concerned. Kind of like whistling a tune. You do it enough times, you'll be able to do it underwater or add funky trills and such. If I can do it while concentrating on something else, it's a worthwhile memory reinforcing practice session.

More tomorrow. I'm off for the morning, yay.

[Synapse309]

So here is a slightly reverbed Kargyraa after throat lozenges. I'm still not capturing my Sygyt quite right.

My setup currently is a $150 gaming headset with 20-20000 Hz at 16-Bit. I'm using a studio reverb and compressor to cut background noise.

My daughter is running about me and playing with the cords, so I'm not using the handheld MIC for this today. I should, so I can stand further away from it.

But I'm pushing my luck here.

[Synapse309]

So I did the anthem in Sygyt. I videotaped myself doing it. But the conditions rendered the video pretty useless. Intense background noise makes the sound really suck. I could filter the noise out, but it would take more time than I got right now.

I'm dead tired and have to get up early, so I won't have enough time tonight to process my take.

I admit, I was pushing my deadline and hit a few snags. On my last take, I got the melody so dead on and the base note was so steady. I even got a slight diaphragm vibrato in it, albeit unintentionally. But then, before the last 'phrase', a customer walked in the gas station and I had to stop. I didn't get another chance to do it again, so...

I did, however, get some pretty decent Kargyraa recorded. If need be, I'll pull just the audio out and share it tomorrow.

Bye