iDIDJ Australia Didgeridoo Cultural Hub

Just created this clip with accompanying description:

Some players are getting close to the Yolngu sound but not quite. For me, the most beautiful playing is when all the following ingredients are present:

1) good technique - the mechanics of WHAT the tongue, throat, lips, diaphragm etc. are doing and HOW they are coordinated;

2) good timing - a sense of time and beat and rhythm is important if you don't want to sound all over the place and messed up;

3) good rhythm/syncopation - some players can create simple rhythmic patterns, but fail when they try creating their own syncopations/rhythms (which don't sound good) or try to copy Yolngu syncopations but don't succeed either because of incorrect technique, incorrect timing, and/or just plain wrong syncopation.

Here's a clip of Vernon Marritjngu playing a tune, with a handful of segments repeated at the end with slow motion replay. Where a segment is repeated, it is done 4 times in the following way:

1) 90% speed
2) normal speed
3) 70% speed
4) normal speed

These segments are looked at in isolation because they are interesting, more complex syncopations which can help us in our playing if we're following the trad path. I don't hear anyone playing these sorts of syncopations outside of Arnhem Land, they're not easy to grasp so here they are slowed down for your analysis and concentrated focus

There are lots and lots of different syncopations that traditional players use, most of these syncopations are invented or created for the "freestyle" form of play whereas others are ceremonial rhythms that accompany song in Aboriginal ritual. "Freestyle" trad is a very exciting form of yidaki playing, with more and more complex syncopations appearing among trad players in Arnhem Land, individual players are known for their particular stylistic flair, and the best players take rhythms and syncopations from other accomplished players and put them together in novel and interesting ways to make them their own.

Among non-Yolngu players following the trad path, complex beautiful syncopations are missing for the simple reason that we are not technically competent yet to achieve this, the starting blocks must always be technique first and rhythms second.



Hope this is the beginning of a new chapter in trad playing for us folk!

Guan

And another one featuring Mikey Guyanya:



Guan

Love it, Love it, Love it Thanks Guan!!!

YEEEAAAAHH !!! Good job Guan !

Hey Guys.
I meant to ask you people, what do you even call syncopations?
I never understood what you meant by that (and wiki didn't help)...
Are these the parts were multiple attacks are played as a single beat?
Thanks in advance for the answer!


Also, since I'm asking noob questions, why do Aboriginal players always slap the mouthpiece after playing?
Thank you very much!

Hi
Welcome to the forum and a good question to start. A syncopation is a rhythmic irregularity in music which can be created by stressing a weak beat. If you listen carefully to the above clips, for example the Vernon one you will hear a regular rhythm being played then a small deviation away from it where he "doubles a beat" or emphasises a weaker beat. Listen to other clips on Guans Youtube and you will see its a prominent feature of Yolngu playing and something us Balanda need to practise in order to sound more "authentic". As for slapping the mouthpiece, not sure but I think its just something they do, a reaction to a good bit of playing or they just like the sound, i've done it before as a reaction without really thinking about it! I'm sure someone will correct me if I am wrong though. Enjoy the forum

Paul

Slapping the mouthpiece may also be a way to remove excess of saliva that may remain on it after playing.
The rapidity of the movement won't clean everything up, but often there is no need to, so it may come from a "cleaning movement" that became a sort of unconscious habit which is nice to keep since it makes that nice "POW" sound
( )

Funny but I found something on Wikipedia about syncopations, its interesting actually:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syncopation

Why do ppl slap the mouthpiece? No idea, maybe because it sounds good, or its a habit? I do it sometimes too but I don't know why...

A couple more slow mo vids:





Guan

Thanks guys, I think I understand now...
In slow mo these are always the hardest parts to decipher.
Useful concept.


On a side note, I've just seen Dhapan's Mokuy video. I guess you're holding the camera Guan.
If you are, your matha accent really fooled me. Congrats.

Wow, such a great wealth of knowledge and inspiration on the forum these days!!!
I'm trying hard to learn air column pops at the moment ...

Air pops? What are those please? (And I thought I knew English! )

Hi

These, this is some of my practise from a while ago now, could be a bit better but this is the idea

Paul

Thanks Paul!
So how would you describe that: as a witj overblown?

Sorry for the highjack everyone

Hi

We had a bit of a discussion on this subject a short while ago, its more of a throat/lip combination action. check out the link and it starts about halfway down the second page

my-freestyle-t1149-15.html

Paul

Hi

Here is a clip of some of my neal syncopation practise, 2 attempts slightly different(not by design!!!). Millir Mununggurr F#/F# yidaki

Paul