Syn's rant list

[Synapse309]

I decided to start my own thread, because I don't want to make anyone feel that I'm inundating theirs with too many wordy replies.

Talk to the friends on facebook, they'll all tell you they think I talk and type too much.

They say I like the sound of my own voice.

Ha!

Truth is, I don't particularly care for the sound of my own voice. Never have. That never stopped me from using it.

Well, the way my speech sounds to myself is fine. When I hear myself on tape, though, it's a different story.

I did many recordings in the past. When I was a little kid and all we had was a mono cassette recorder (wiki this, some may not remember pre-ghetto-blaster-era TCRs), my best buddy and my mom and I would record little skits and make a foley track and all that. In high school we went to town on an assignment to write a play in 6 scenes and record it. I must have purchased $200 worth of sound F/X recordings at the time to make sure it's perfect. At the time, it was great that I could play 4 or 5 parts by changing my voice in various ways.

So I always had a certain relationship with my voice.

Imitating guns when your dad wouldn't buy you any more caps for your toy winchester cathedral 76 playing cowboys and indians (how un-PC, blush!!), doing little sound f/x to illustrate your stories in school talking about Star Wars or Tron, who hasn't done something similar?

Could I sing?

Sure!! I could sing. High as a bird looking for a mate on a spring day.

I recall being in an 'open audition' within music class in grade 5. Break Dancing was the latest fad. My music teacher was trying to get us ready to perform a song at the autumn pageant. Had something about a banana vending kid named Pedro, whose line in the song was "My name is Pedro and I sell you the Banaaaaaaanaaaaas" in a high pitch. My teacher was making everyone take turns to sing the part of Pedro. I was quietly singing along, annoyed that this was such a waste of time. At one time, she heard me. She said, "whoever this is that keeps singing along when I'm trying to find the right person, speak up" and I stood up, being right up front already, and I got the part. My teacher was delighted that an actual boy could do the part so well. My peers made a little fun of me with remarks about the testicles that have yet to drop, etc. It wasn't too hurtful. I'm fine. The stage appearance made up for it, as I was on the bill as headliner...

But I digress... or do I?

From there on, singing wasn't anything I'd wanted to do for anyone else's enjoyment but my own.
Just like dancing. I do get down when I'm in the mood, but god forbid, it's not for anyone else to observe and say "now there's a dude that can dance!"
I have rhythm, and I'm not tone deaf. But I don't think that I would have gone into show biz if I had a singing voice like Robin Gibb.

I tried to learn the guitar at age 10 or 11, but the teacher wasn't what I'd call student-oriented. I had not yet understood how the thing works and she expected me to play a song that had like five chords. Well, I learned how it works finally, but I had to pick up a semi-acoustic one to figure it out slowly on my own. I don't play guitar now, but when I go out and buy one some day I will.

Genetically, I'm blessed with hands in many ways. I can write, draw, sketch, illustrate and have fine motor skills that may make a surgeon envious, I'm told by people who know surgeons professionally. Of course, academically I could have attended the finest medical schools and made a mighty fine doctor, but my antisocial attitude in school pretty much prevented all that from materializing before I was thrust into working life. My hands, however, have lived through it unscathed. I can play piano two-handed (score and bass totally separate) and have a reach from a C to the E of the next octave. But my grandmother accidentally destroyed the upright piano my family owned in 1976 by overwatering a plant pot on top. The whole thing rusted. I had a lot of fun, playing a harmonium in Sweden at my aunt's house. I taught myself many tunes there, while the dachshund howled along....

I have always sung along. On rare occasions when I had a particularly emotional experience, I have been known to vocalize something 'original'. I don't Karaoke. I used to, even before it became all the rage. I tried to sing a song I liked EXACTLY how the original artist would sing it, even attempting to imitate their voice, if I could. I knew always that I'd never sound JUST like them, but if I felt their song within me, and I agreed with the way they sung it, I thought it was perfect. I have at that time not heard Il Pagliacci sung by Pavarotti, only by Caruso. They DO sound different. The tenors sing the same notes, but they emote in their vocals differently. It DOES sound different, even if you don't speak Italian.

Some days I would put new words to a pop song to express a thought. Other times I would sing a known melody to emote. Only in the last 4 months have I actually used my very own voice. The one I own. The one Andre Phillippe Gagnon can't imitate because he hasn't heard it.

Khoomei is what I apparently have been waiting for all this time.

It is the ONE thing I can do wherever I go, whatever weather it is, whether there is an electrical outlet or not, and I don't need an amp or a piano or guitar or ANYTHING to do it. And it's beautiful and emotional and in touch with the earth and deeply connects me with the universe, or at least it feels that way.

Funny, how you can go all your life without being aware of something that existed for 3000 years or more.

I wasn't seeking a new hobby, either. I heard some Kargyraa on a TV show and googled it as it was mentioned that it was "Tuvan Throat Singing". What I found on wikipedia et al blew me away.

I find harmonic overtone singing a scientifically interesting subject as well as an artistic outlet.

I have only been at this for about 4 months and have come VERY far indeed. I am still shocked at my own progress. I liken it to the discovery of a friend's unicycle in his garage. Imagine you found one and asked what it was. And your friend told you it's a unicycle and it's really hard to ride. So you pick it up and get on it and ride it after two tries.... would you put it back down and never ride it again?

The first time I tried throat singing I have been listening to Huun-Huur-Tu for a week or so. I wanted to search YouTube for a video showing them sing. I could just not picture the lip movements, I had to see it. I found instead a video tutorial that kicked me off. It explained in detail how to get overtones.

Well, I tried and got Kargyraa immediately. After two more days of listening to "Crash Course in Khoomei" by Brian Grover I got Khoomei with overtones, albeit crappy ones.

After 4 months of practice, I can now sing in a low, but clear, Khoomei and can use Ezengileer, Dumchuktaar and Borbangnadyr. I get high and low Kargyraa and can hold a note for like a minute. I just finally cracked the secret to a clear, bird-like Sygyt, too. My Chylandik still stinks.

When I can, I will record my prowess and share it with you all to criticize.

I can't possibly be that good.

I know. I don't believe it either. When I can show what I can do to someone and they say to me "dude, that's awesome!" is when I will know I successfully learned throat singing - at almost age 40!!!!

[Poltergeist]

Aloha, Dan! Good to see you here! This forum is much too quiet, so go on ranting as much and as long as you want!

[Synapse309]

Oh you can rely on it!!

btw, nice to hear from you, too

Well, two days have passed since I began the thread.
I do practice from when I get up until I have to be quiet. I sing along with many sounds I hear now such as traffic and nature, the fridge motor etc.
What I can't seem to get done is a recording.
How many people posted sound files of their attempts and tries? I've been wanting to send someone an mp3 to find out whether I'm doing it right for a long time.
Not that I'm lacking anything... I got a great mic, an actual singing one (sennheiser) and I know how to make a good sound file. Problem is leisure and silence.

I'm not about to record my Khoomei, which is rather quiet and subtle, while my daughter is watching "Blue's Clues". Although one can't hear the background noise well on the recording, I can hear it while singing and it affects my performance somehwat.

Call me a perfectionist.

I won't even post a crappy mp3 of me singing crappily, lol.

I heard a few recordings by other amateurs, some were videos. Most of them sound like poo once you get them from the net. I mean you can hear the mp3 compression "pixeling out" or there is crackling from the mic or tape motor noise on the camcorder or it's just too quiet to hear much. Other problems I encountered were that people are too close to their mic or too far away. Others still put effects on the recording, some live and some in post. I am not sure what to think about that, since I have not been able to pull of a decent take. I do agree that Kargyraa sounds immensely richer when it has some reverb or echo on it, but I think you can put way too much or make the sound too 'wet'. There should be two layers of sound: the original wave and a component that comprises the echo effect only, layered under and somewhat quieter so as not to drown out the original sound. Yes I do know a little about how to record.

The video files are usually much worse. Most people, including myself, loathe uploading large video files due to time restraints. It shouldn't take longer to upload than it took to make it, right? Wrong! It shouldn't take longer to watch than it took to make. This should be the only consideration when uploading videos. The quality should be as good as possible and as compressed as necessary. I mean by that, that although it's impossible to gauge how well the resulting video will stream to each viewer, it shouldn't be over-compressed. Rule of thumb: If you upload one and it buffers a lot while you watch it, it's not compressed enough. Another good way is to upload video to a streaming site and then go to a public computer, like in a cafe or library to watch it. If you can watch it well without too much lag, you must have done it right.

I know I have a lot of 'advice'. For 12 hours every day I'm practically a single parent. That's why I can write a 'blog' but can't show you what I'm talking about. Believe you me! This is as frustrating to me as it is annoying to YOU.

Once I figure out a method that works, I will show you. I can do it. Just be patient.

It's part of the reason I began this thread, so I can talk my rocks off in lieu of showing you.

I do hope I get a little time to talk specifics today, so I'll submit this post for now and wish you all luck and happiness.

[Poltergeist]

I do practice from when I get up until I have to be quiet.

And that is when you start writing here and on Facebook?

[Synapse309]

Well yes. I can blog at night, and while singing. Just can't get to record yet...

[Synapse309]

Ya, so it's been a few days and I haven't had a topic. Other than that I have difficulties finding time to practice.
My daughter isn't into listening to me practice, so it's probably best not to bother her. She keeps coming up to me and putting her hand on my lips, indicating "shh, be quiet, daddy". Too cute.
Kargyraa is kinda loud, after all.
I am slowly (very slowly) approaching a quieter, softer hum-like drone, but it keeps 'cutting out', so I only get vibrations if I tighten my throat more, which makes it hard and sharp sounding. I do get great hollow, rich harmonics, though.

I keep trying Arte Sayir, but the melody actually eludes me, no matter how many people I hear doing it. I have about 6 different renditions of it, but I can't duplicate them. I figure the problem is the phrasing, at least I think that's what it's called. I can't lay a finger on the rhythm and there is always a breath taken half way through, which is why I'm having trouble nailing it. Even Kaigal-ool Khovalyg's version, as clear as it is, goes right through me. Something special this melody is...

However, the tune does ring familiar... and today I found out why!

Whenever I hear Beyonce's "Halo", I also 'hear' "Take a Bow" by Rihanna. The two mesh well, same beat, same chords, etc. I bet you could cut them together DJ-style and make a cool hybrid track as is being done a lot now. Many pop songs incorporate samples or sections of other songs now, and some are based on a song, it seems, using the chords, motifs and beat track of a song and then laying a new score over it.

Same with Sayir. Only the 'sister' song is somewhat unrelated altogether.

I'll try to record me doing it and upload it tomorrow. I'll keep a secret which tune it is, so we can all have fun guessing it.

Until then I hail from the most snowless winter olympics site in history... British Columbia, Canada's warmest Province...

[Synapse309]

I threatened and promised... Here it is:

Khoomei.com's very own "Guess that Tune" page, lol.

I am just uploading a song I sang today, once again with the terrible cell phone recording, sorry.

Every time I try Arte Sayir, I think of this melody, so I thought I'd get it out of my system and just sing it.

It's hard to do and I need a lot more practice before it sounds any good at all, but you can pick the tune up alright I think.

I start out in Kargyraa and then do a reprise in Sygyt, all at work at the gas station. Two breaths only. And I don't keep a steady fundamental either, if it's not already obvious.

Silence is key when you're singing. Whenever I do overtones, I get lost in the background and "drift" up or down a note or two.

But I'm still a harcore newbie at 4 months into learning, so give me some slack, ok?

So to kick you off, I'm attaching this terrible rendition to torture your ears with. Please do listen and reply what you think the tune is.

I'm sure it's readily self-evident...

[Synapse309]

Really? Nobody?
Am I the only one here these days?

[Synapse309]

Just because it's been going round inside my head for days now...

Halo and Take a Bow. Two similar tunes, same tempo, same key. Two beautiful singers. Opposing content, though.

How to marry it?

I thought and imagined and extrapolated and imagined some more... and then I toiled.

And now I have a file I can't upload...

[Synapse309]

After much debate over where to cut it and how much to compress it...

Enjoy...

[throatsinger]

Ah, don't know the Halo tune (till now). Actually it reminded me of a classical piece more but I can't recall the name.

Artii Sayir: Many different variations of the melody, all rather similar but kinda approximate, imo. So, approximate it!

[Synapse309]

I'm not gonna stress myself out, Steve. Thanks for the encouraging words.

[Synapse309]

I'm leaving the 'contest' open until next week. Someone already got the right answer on facebook, so no cheating!

Today, I had planned to have my babysitter give me some "me-time" so I can practice and record properly. I really want to post a YouTube video and upload a couple of samples here, but I can't find the time to do it yet.

Well, all got messed up. Weather was crappy, my older daughter got a head cold and needed some loving and herbal tea, the little one was just super-demanding today.

I can't tell you how much she monopolizes me. I seriously cannot sing in front of her, she will just put her fingers on my mouth, asking me "stop daddy, shh", which is super-cute, but I can't get anything done that way.

We recently got two new pet rats who seem to respond well to my Sygyt, but get a little freaked when I try Kargyraa. Another reason to seek another venue. I don't want to frighten the little critters, they are in a cage and can't leave, it would just be inconsiderate.

Tomorrow I work all day. Then afterwards, I will not be alone in the house either. If I don't find some time by Wednesday, I have to wait until next week again.

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[Synapse309]

Time to make a new avatar....

[mrboma]

Dan, do I get some sort of a prize for getting the right answer on Facebook? Or is my prize the satisfaction I got from getting the right answer?