ExtraOrdinary Music Education & Exercises

More on Listening ~ Making Distinctions

Featuring The Bulgarian Children's Choir.'mp3'

 

In this selection, try listening before the choir starts for the 'pre-delay.'

After listening a time or two, you will be able to hear the faint 'echo' of the beginning 'chant' before it starts.

This is called the 'pre-delay.' Don't worry if you don't hear it on this particular net copy. It's on the original.

 

Listen for the 'Breath Work.' Listen closely to hear where the children take a 'breath' before, between or after 'phrases.' You may be hearing too much 'noise' or other 'artifacts' to hear it.

Listen for the 'harmonies.'

Are there harmonies and 'dissonances,' too? How many 'harmonic intervals' are there?

Do some of the vocal phrases sound like Morse 'Code?'

What do you think this code might be saying?

Write it down.

See the link below for a little writing music.

 

 

Did the other selection confuse you?

Did you have to go back to the Bulgarian Choir mp3 for the answers?

 

Are we going too fast for you?

 

Are we adding too many planes of listening at once?

Take a rest. Review some Help & Glossary files in your reverie.

 

For help and glossary see:

 

Do you hear an 'echo' of the children after the end of the selection? Your system noise may 'override' its low 'volume.' Or, it may have been lost in the mp3 transfer.

 

Can you distinguish the 'placement' of the choir sections? Do they all come in at the same time?

 

Do some 'parts' seem to enter from the right? Left? CenterStage? Elsewhere?

 

How many parts are there?

 

Are there any 'solos?'

 

Can you distinguish a 'counter melody' in this selection? How many children are singing this part?

 

Listen for the 'dynamics' as the children's voices become louder and softer.

 

Breath work, as noted, and 'articulation' are both important factors in the arena of dynamics. Can you distinguish the consonants and vowels? Which vowels are easier to 'hold' longer? Are consonants and vowels articulated the same in your native language? What are the children saying?

 

How many rounds has it taken you to answer all of the questions above?

How many rounds has it taken you to make the number of distinctions you have so far?

 

Take another brief rest and go stretch a while. Get a drink of water and maybe even visit the facilities. Don't eat.

 

For help and glossary see:

 

Can you add another 'plane' of listening?

 

Try listening for the 'rhythms,' 'tempo,' and 'timing' that make the work extraordinary.

Does this lively song make you want to 'clap?'

I got The Clap from Gene.

 

~ Advanced Training ~

 

There are several different types of 'crackles' and 'clicks' in the mp3.

See if you can make the distinction of where these crackles and clicks came into being.

Are they recorded onto the 'cassette tape' from the '33 1/3 LP' in the 'transfer?'

Or, are they recorded from the cassette tape into the 'digital audio' recording on the cpu?

Or, are they a product of the transfer from 'digital audio' to the 'mp3' file?

There would ultimately be a combination of each of these, and more.

The crackles, pops and other anomalies could also be a product of the transfer from the 'server' to your 'system' or possibly even in your system alone. It's immeterial after too long. Go play.

Take another brief rest... stretch and walk around the immediate vacinity until you are clearer, then return to the process.

For more help, please see:

and

 

This is pretty difficult, but not to worry... your listening skills will develop to this or a greater degree in time.

Tip: VOICEWORKS is the ultimate sound machine. Hi, Filip.