Documentaire Door Michel Conci (2015)
Interpreting Sounds A documentary by Michel Conci Part 1: the Didgeridoo Hello. Blessed love. I am Michel Conci, and hereby I acquaint what – I achievement – will become a alternation of documentaries, by myself, which I gave the appellation ‘Interpreting Sounds’ The anterior music you aloof heard is additionally fabricated by myself. It is from a “percussion instrumental”, as I alarm it, that I gave as appellation Okubuliriza.. I generally accord these bang instrumentals names from African languages. Because they are mostly based on African music.. Okubuliriza comes from the Ganda language, announced in Uganda One of the bigger languages announced in Uganda, a Bantu accent and Okubuliriza agency “to investigate”, “to survey”, or “research”.. That is absolutely what I am activity to do with these documentaries, aimed at “sounds”.. This can be accepted broadly.. Yet actuality abnormally in the faculty of music, agreeable instruments, and the associated culture.. So.. I accomplish bang instrumentals.. Abnormally in the aftermost years, this has increased.. I accept appear several bang instrumentals online, on YouTube. Additionally beneath the name Bongo Michel.. You see actuality some drums that I accept acclimated for these bang instrumentals..
An Own Type Of Drum Differing From The Djembe
This one, for instance.. we talked about Uganda.. This is alleged a “Uganda-type” of drum.. Two-sided, as you see.. It is alleged a Ngoma Ngoma is a Bantu chat for “drum”.. It’s a accepted blazon of drum.. With an own sound.. That’s how it sounds.. I acclimated it on Okubuliriza, as able-bodied as added bang instrumentals… Then, this is an Ashiko.. additionally a somewhat bottom accepted instrument.. When compared to better-known bang instruments, such as the conga, bongos, and djembe, this one is beneath known. The Ashiko comes originally from the Yoruba culture. In Nigeria.. south west Nigeria and Benin.. that arena in Africa.. An own blazon of drum, differing from the Djembe.. It does accept in accepted with the Djembe, that goatskin tends to be acclimated for the drumheads, as accepted with Djembes Yet it has an own sound, altered from added drums.. Partly due additionally to the resonator.. With that we access into the apple of “sound”.. about understood.. on which I will focus with these documentaries..
Especially African Percussion I Find Interesting And Focus On
I myself focus mainly on percussion. Especially African bang I acquisition absorbing and focus on.. On African percussion, as able-bodied as Afro-American influences, from Reggae or Cuban music, and added influences.. However, in this documentary, the aboriginal adventure of Interpreting Sounds, I will focus on.. the Didgeridoo Abounding bodies ability apperceive article about the didgeridoo. Abounding might, like me, accept apparent a achievement with the didgeridoo.. Abounding additionally apperceive that it comes from the Aboriginal culture, in Australia, originally.. the aboriginal citizenry of Australia.. That it is a actual old instrument, abounding apperceive too.. Further, I agenda altered opinions about it..Some like it, absolutely get into it.. Others don’t like it, or acquisition it strange.. Still others, ability not apperceive how to accord with it, do not appreciate it.. Thanks, that’s enough..
..and what is your addition to all that? I’ll acquaint you: your addition has consisted all-embracing of 40.000 years of atrocious trumpeting on a hollow, board pipe.. that sounds as if there is a ailing avoid in it that wants to get out.. So, altered opinions abide about it. That is, amid added things, what I am activity to analysis (okubuliriza).. In this documentary.. I accept done some self-study, to augment my ability about the didgeridoo.. through abstract research, and on the Internet (e.g.Wikipedia) Certain books, including some added backbreaking and profound, bookish works..
On musicology, history, and culture.. This way, through such sources, I abstruse added about the didgeridoo.. I won’t stop there, because that abstract abstraction is alone one allotment of the research. Yet, I will additionally accept an account with a didgeridoo amateur I know, and accept apparent perform. Whom I additionally played with, by the way: I played the bongos. I will account him , to apprentice added through addition absolutely absolutely in it.. How he developed that passion. What he knows about it.. Who additionally makes didgeridoos himself, by the way. I will allege with with him, and his name is Nick Bastiaansen.. Additionally accepted as the Didgeridoo or Dutcheridude..
As a kind of wordplay.. I have seen him perform a few times with didgeridoos, and he’s really involved with it.. he does other things too.. Anyway, I will have an interview with him.. Like I said, I did some self-study. I stumbled upon some things.. A critique of some is that the didgeridoo has merely one single tone.. That though it is old: it only has one tone (on which is variated).. Strange.. that they haven’t changed in 40.000 years 40.000 years and they only have one instrument.. Shall we guess how many tones there are on the didgeridoo? Just one.. all you hear is gagngaha…. If you have a cold, you don’t even need that thing.. They are even proud of it. It’s a piece of wood.
A branch, which is biconcave out by termites.. They don’t do shit.. They aloof acquisition a allotment of wood, draft in it: “ah, it works: we can afresh sit on our behinds for 40.000 years”. You’re not accustomed to criticize this.. What I apprehend apropos this, is that through adapted breath techniques, they can alter on the tone.. I additionally apprehend that it’s generally accompanied by what they alarm “clapsticks”, a blazon of percussion.. The apparatus itself belongs to the alleged “Wind instruments”.. This seems analytic and appropriate.. However, it is sometimes advised as somewhat bordering to, or alike acceptance to Bang instruments.. In this book, for instance.. Called: ‘Drums and “sound instruments””‘ Which by itself is a acceptable source. Perhaps not exhaustive, but accouterment an all-encompassing overview of drums, and what are alleged “sound instruments”. The book is well.. somewhat old, I guess..
Mainly African Culture As in Afro-Caribbean Culture
It is published in 1996.. ..but it just relates the history and general characteristics of several drums, and “sound instruments” Many instruments are in it. Not all, but many.. Both known and less well-known ones.. From, mainly, African culture, Afro-Caribbean culture , Afro-Brazilian culture.. All kinds.. The Doundoun, for instance, an African bass drum .. which I use on my percussion instrumentals. From the Guinea region.. Yet, also the Didgeridoo is mentioned In a mainly “percussive context”, we can say.. It is rubricized in this book under the “other sound instruments”.. “Idiophones” is another term used for it, by the way.. Introduction, Drums, then Other sound instruments.. Other (remaining) instruments, and still a sub-section of this is Remaining instruments.., under which the Didgeroo is described..
Something is said about it.. This is all educational as part of the self-study (okubuliriza) A connection is here indeed made with the Aboriginal culture, which is correct. Plus that is an old instrument. One of the oldest in the world.. After the drums, which are of course the oldest.. or at least among them.. and I will delve further into this theme now, also through a conversation with Nick Bastiaansen.. Thank you, also in advance, for your attention. Hello. As said, now a conversation with Nick Bastiaansen.., who you see sitting beside me. We are where he lives now in Amsterdam (West). and, well, he is a “real” Didgeridoo player.. He knows quite something about it as well. Before this I studied aspects of the Didgeridoo, opinions, history, I read about it. He plays the didgeridoo. How long are you now active playing the didgeridoo, Nick? —I play it now for about two and a half years.– Two and a half years..
And how young are you? —Well.. young. I am already 25 years old.– How did you get to that particular instrument? Why did it appeal to you? —Now, well.. Let’s see: I have to start at the beginning.. When I was about 7 years old, I spent a vacation in Germany..– —We went once to a village there, on a summer’s day.. In the middle of that village/town..there were two people playing the didgeridoo.. I was then about 8 years, and did not know anything about it.. I did find it very beautiful, though. Watched it a long time. My father even took a photo of me watching it.. Then.. it was a bit forgotten, so to speak,.. and about three years ago I was in Denmark, and again saw a guy playing it on the street.
This reminded me that I saw it then in Germany. I then wanted to play it myself. I got a didgeridoo at that point.. I started playing it, practising on it a lot. I enjoyed that a lot.– Okay, so it stayed in your mind all that time, since you were about eight.. Interesting.. —On my phone I even have a photo of me watching it..– Ah, so it is on record.. ..but it appealed to you immediately. Many people do not get it, is my impression: that low tone, some find odd. You however liked it at once? —Yes.That sound that the didgeridoo makes is so natural. So..–.. It is natural.. “Soothing”, or “restful” is how that sound is described, I read.. I recognize that..
I have also seen didgeridoo performances on the street in Amsterdam and elsewhere. I found it strange: that long tube and people sitting, Yet it gave me a restful feeling.. It also intrigued me, somehow.. You, however, really got involved in it..the last two and a half years, as you said.. —Yes. Then I started really playing it..– There you see some didgeridoos, you have here. The original didgeridoo is made from eucalyptus wood, I understood.. —This is an original didgeridoo.. ..– —It is hollowed out by termites. These eat the interior. Yet leave the exterior, protecting them from bird attacks..– According to what is told, Aboriginals walk in a wood They then see a tree, and knock to check whether it’s hollow..
Then they cut the tree, or in cases they break it along with the roots, and you get a bell.. but you can tell that this one has been chopped.. Then.. this one is really a Dutch didgeridoo.. so it’s called a “Dutcheridoo”.. It is made from alder wood..– It is not hollowed out by termites..
—No, it’s not. That is done by myself.. The same applies to this one here..– I note different lengths.. There is not a standard length? —No, not necessarily… How longer the didgeridoo is, the higher its tone gets..– The longer, the higher.. Seems logical: it is a resonator, after all. —Take for instance an alphorn: that is very long, and therefore very high in tone..– The question then is: how do you play it? Did you have to learn a lot before you could? How difficult is it? —I did not find it difficult.. I just liked what sound it produced I did a “drone” in it, which I loved to do..
I did it thus a lot.. Practising therefore went automatically for me.. During one summer time I use to play it daily for two, three hours, sitting in the sun. About three hours a day. I think that I largely learned it during that one summer time..– But did you have certain guidelines? You need to know about the “circular breathing”.
A different breathing method.. — Yeah, but first I learned how to make a good “drone”‘– A drone? —(makes drone sound).. Then other sounds with it.. Once you control that, then you can start with “circular breathing”. You have different techniques for that..– It enables you to maintain a tone longer, I understood.. —Yes, you can make very short as well as very long drones.. You can make a more sustained, continuous sound..– Interesting… Well, let’s sit down again.. So you’ve never actually been to Australia? —No, unfortunately not..– It comes from the Aboriginals, that is a quite known fact.. Have you met Aboriginals who played it? —No, neither.. But I would like to go there as soon as possible..
But I have as yet not been there (to Australia), no — I understand, okay.. You also make didgeridoos yourself, as we can deduce from before.. —Yes — One of the first times I met you, you had with you a kind of an “urban didgeridoo”… Made from a drainpipe, I thought it was.. —Yes — Which had a good sound, as far as I could tell.. — Yeah, but what is a didgeridoo?..– What happened with it? —It’s at Leslie’s, I had to move, and needed to put it away there for a while..
— What was your question again? .. oh yeah.. You get that sound because of the hollowness.. It’s in fact basically a hollow “pipe”.. The didgeridoo in itself it’s, as you said, a “resonator”..– Those ones happen to be wooden.. —Yes, but all sounds you get, you make with your mouth (drone sound).. The didgeridoo amplifies this sound, alters it a bit, but it is actually just the sound you make.. The didgeridoo amplifies it.. It can be wooden, plastic, or even cardboard.. Or bamboo..– Okay,.. and your lips? When learning to play the didgeridoo, do you use your lips in a certain way? —Yes..
Trumpet players need to blow hard, apply much pressure.. While with the didgeridoo you have to be instead very relaxed.. (drone) In the beginning this may sound not well, but once you get this under control.. then, in time it becomes easier.. and will sound better too. .. the sharper you can make the sound with your mouth.– I have seen you perform a few times now. I accompanied you with drums, bongos once.. I noticed that you made a variety of sounds with it.. Including of dogs – maybe dingoes in Australia – , and that it becomes a story, with a dog appearing. It makes one imagine a story.. I found that interesting.. I assume you made these sounds consciously? You had dogs/dingoes in mind?.. or other sounds? —When I play didgeridoos.. I close my eyes, and have a story in my head that I want to tell.. As a form of storytelling, but with sounds…. One time I told a story of kangaroos in a zoo..
..who want to escape Arrive at a road, cross it, come in a wood.. with other animals.. They reach a river, and being tired, take a rest, but all of a sudden a crocodile arrives.. Just in time they see that crocodile, jump and get away, and reach their family at the end.. A simple story..– Yes.., but expressive, in itself.. —There are also real existing myths. also played on didgeridoos.. About frogs having eaten all the water, for instance..– Myths existing among the Aboriginals.. I thought I heard a story.. I dont know if a kangaroo makes a sound.. —No, but it jumps.. poiing!…– This was at the event Here It Poetry, at Cafe the Zen (Amsterdam), by the way, that I saw you perform..
A combination of poetry and music.. Let’s see… would you say you developed your own style? Compared with other didgeridoo players.. —My own style.. well.. you do indeed have different styles.. You have traditional styles,.. more commercial ones.. Where I’m at now… I like the traditional style (tu-tu-tu. tu-tu).. Having to do with 5-4 or 6-4 time signature, I think.. .. but I just started with that, so I don’t know much about it as yet.. Right now.. I am crazy about Goa Trance beats..– I heard about that.. —That’s possible..You can also do Dub Step in it.. Perhaps that’s a bit the general sound of the Didgeridoo… Dub Step– With echo-like sounds.. I seem to recall you did that with that “urban didgeridoo”.. Echoes, like you have in Dub too.. That’s a bit your own style.. that you incorporate different influences.. —Yes, and furthermore I try to do “beats” in it..
I Have Seen You Perform At Here It Poetry
Rhythms really..– I have seen you perform at Here It Poetry, in Cafe the Zen in Amsterdam, with Leslie Browne and others.. but.. do you play with other people as well, regularly? —Well.. once a year I attend PsyFi Festival in Friesland (Frysia) I play there.. and give workshops..– Ah, you give workshops as well? —Yes. Further, with some friends… in Groningen.. we tend to come together ever so often.. It is called “Spirit Gathering”.. We organize different “spiritual” things there.. Meditation classes, someone does Xi Gong.. ..and I give Didgeridoo workshops It’s not really a fixed or set time that we do that.. but once every few months..– In any case, you give Didgeridoo workshops, every once in a while.. Do you have any more plans? Perhaps expanding that? —Yes, for sure. I would like to give as much workshops as possible..– Okay, interesting.
Besides this, you do all kinds of other things, I assume? —Yes. I dance quite a lot, too..– What kind of dance? —Break Dance — Ah, so you specialized in that a bit, too? —Yes, kind of..– I also wonder: do you play that Didgeridoo with other instruments?.. I played bongos with it once, but.. —Yes, that’s possible. I played a time with a saxophone.. .. and a guitar. That combines nicely, too.. All instruments, really.. Sometimes it is a bit of searching.. For every didgeridoo is in one specific tone (key).. For example, the eucalyptus one is in D Trumpet is in E. Yet you can play one tone (key) lower with the didge, to C, but the tone (of the drone) itself is in D..
When you play a guitar with it, you have to tune it accordingly.. Personally, however, I find that bongos (drums) sound best with it..– Interesting.. now I know more about your playing.. —This one is from Australia.. This one is made from bamboo.. Then, this one is a “Dutcheridoo”: made from Dutch wood.. A good one for playing “traditional style” on, ..as I’ll demonstrate.. This one is another Dutcheridoo (from Dutch wood).. Self-made..– Ah.. that’s a Didgeridoo stand, haha. Haven’t seen that much.. So, then.. I have after all brought my Ashiko (drum).. We’re going to jam.. He said percussion combines well with it.. How does this goatskin Ashiko combine with the Didgeridoo? Dutcheridoo in this case.. Time for “free jamming”.. Do you have a chair, by the way? I have to sit somewhat higher.. Well.. I’ll start with a pattern, and then you come in? ..Vice versa is also possible.. —No, that’s preferable, indeed..– ..but it also has “healing” properties or possibilities..
The Didgeridoo? —Yes.You indeed hear a lot that it makes people “calm” That is because from the Didgeridoo comes a “vibration”.. If you’d visualize it, it goes like this.. And as a human you have as brainwaves: Alpha, Beta, or Gamma.. In a calm state of mind, say you’re “Zen”.. ..you have Alpha waves, somewhere between 0 and 40 Hertz.. While If you are in turn very stressed..you are in Gamma,.. moving very fast Whereas in Alpha it goes very slowly.. The Didgeridoo produces a frequency between the 0 and 400..possibly even up to 1000 Hertz.. Crucial, however, is that it hits that 0 (Zero) line..– That’s the effect you feel..
How it goes from 0 to 40 (Hertz) From low to high, thus affecting your brainwaves toward “calm” and “rest”.. Okay. In that sense it is really soothing and “calming”.. Literally.. —Literally, yes.. In addition, its vibrations also produce an infra-red signal.. You can massage people with it. You have to play at about this distance.. About this distance from a person.. Playing “over” someone.. Those vibrations then go through your skin, as well as your bones.. This causes your blood vessels to widen, and your blood to flow better.. Furthermore..When you play it yourself, it helps against snoring, asthma, sleep apnea, … and many other illnesses.. It definitely is a “healing” instrument..– Interpreting Sounds Part 1: the Didgeridoo Made by: Michel Conci With the assistance (camera) of: Peggy Strok Interview with: Nick Bastiaansen Recorded in Amsterdam, Netherlands (2015) Intro-/Outtro music: Bongo Michel (Michel Conci) – Okubuliriza (2014).