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The new album Kladderadatsch! will be released on the 3d of June. Lot's of Jew's harp grooves and urban yodels.  

check out my Bandcamp!

"How do the bowls (acetabula) sound? - What a sweet tone they produce when they are struck in different ways. Man accepts their sound with such great gladness that he believes hearing to be the best sense."
Cassiodorus (approx. 485 in southern Italy-c. 585)

Tibetan singing bowls have a wonderful, pure sound, but they are hardly Tibetan, in fact it was probably only in 1972, with Henry Wolff and Nancy Henning's album Tibetan Bells, that the idea of where they came from was launched:

As with many concepts with origin in new age many misleading notions about singing bowls have arised, first to mention may be what they are made of. The Wikipedia lookup give us a much needed dismantling of some of the worst misconceptions, but ironically, it then repeats a myth that no one should take too seriously, but which is seen over and over again, namely that the so-called crystal singing bowls ”are made of re-formed crushed synthetic crystal.” As I have explained elsewhere, this type of bowl, like any other glass, is made of quartz sand, albeit of a type having a high purity percentage, with respect to the content of silicon dioxide, SiO2, the most common mineral of the Earth's crust, which for instance is found in common Danish beach sand.

The singing bowls are already expensive, but if they were made according to the recipes that are typically presented in the new age environments, they would not have been payable at all, and the seven metals (gold, silver, copper, iron, tin, lead, mercury), which is so much talked and written about, is thus from an old European, not a Tibetan, tradition where they are believed to correlate with seven celestial bodies (In order: the Sun, the Moon, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn and Mercury).

From Tübinger Hausbuch (1430-80): Figures representing the seven liberal arts (Artes liberales) are associated with seven celestial bodies and seven metals

So singing bowls are made of bell bronze, which is an alloy of copper and tin. And talking about materials I can't help pointing out that you can find very beautiful sound in brass, glass, hammered steel, porcelain, aluminium et cetera of salad and fruit bowls. Listen to a song where I accompany myself by a hammered stainless steel bowl from IKEA which cost about five pounds. Unfortunately, the recording is not in the highest technical quality:

LINK TO SOUND CLIP: https://clyp.it/najkltcz

Here is a sound spectrogram of the above-mentioned bowl and my voice, respectively, while trying to intonate to its sound. The red and white writing within the frame have been added by me subsequently. There are two things that are worth noting besides the fact that the sound spectrum of the bowl is somewhat more complex than most bowls sold as singing bowls:

* The bowl's tone (left) does not reveal a harmonic structure (having dissimilar frequency distance between its partials), while my voice (right) does have a harmonic structure (partials being multiples of about 140 Hz). In other words and in technical terms the bowl displays some degree of inharmonicity.
* I do not intonate according to neither partial #1 or #2 of the bowl, but the interval between partial #3 and #4 which I adapt as a fundamental tone (~ 140 Hz, about C♯)

CULTURAL ROOTS OF SINGING BOWLS

As stated in the Wikipedia lookup, one must seek the roots of the singing bowls in China, and there is no evidence of singing bowls in use in Tibet before modern times. The following reminds me of other myths that have been dealt with here on the blog, namely the notion that taijitu (the ying-yang symbol) has a history of thousands of years when in fact it is limited to about 500 years and there is evidence for significantly older finds of it in Europe. Likewise the notion about the rainbow spectrum colours assigned to the chakras which also is actually not much more than 50 years old.

Sound bowls were used musically in the Byzantine Empire at least 1,500 years ago!

Illustration: Wikipedia

A new age girl band is turning it up to eleven... or maybe it is rather an old age band. The image is a mosaic from a Byzantine villa in the village of Maryamin near Hama in the present Syria. It is believed to originate between late in the 4th and 6th centuries.

It is doubtful if the two erotes are treading the organ bellows, as the organ pumps of that time were water driven. Aulos is often called a double flute, but it is a double reed instrument, so 'double-oboe' would be more accurate. Then there is a sizeable cithara ... and my word if they haven't run a whole arsenal of singing bowls in position too!!?

Epiktetos: Aulos player and dancer with crotala. Red figure vessel from Attica, about 520 BC.

The music is probably less relaxing and spherical than what we would associate with singing bowl music. The two flank figures both use instruments known as crotala, that have sounded like castanets.

As can also be seen from the introductory quotation, the notion has merit: Both in the Eastern and in the Western Roman Empire, they were devoted to the sound of the sounding bowls. Their name was oxyvaphi, and the culture of their music is dealt with in this dissertation from page 59 onwards. The text also contains a number of quotes on the supposed Greek origin of these sound bowls and their materials. Look here as well!

Again in the center of the motive: More Byzantine singing bowls (although one could suspect that Chagall has lent his hand to the image): 6th Century, Vienna Genesis. The picture refers to a Bible text, Genesis, 40, 20, Joseph as a dream reader at Pharaoh, and reproduces a banquet with lying courtiers besides the stage, and, at the top, right, the scene with the baker being hanged from a tree.

Finally to be mentioned is a different precursor to the modern singing bowl culture, namely the glass harmonica, which Benjamin Franklin optimized in 1761, allowing more complex music to be played on it. There is such an instrument at the Music Museum in Copenhagen. Thus we can finish delving into music:

My new book is finished! "The Overtone Singing Virtuoso" is 12 songs for advanced level polyphonic overtone singing with substantial commentary and instruction.

This completes the trilogy of instructional books for overtone singing, progressing from beginning level with steady fundamental to advanced level polyphonic overtone singing:
1. Making Music with Overtone Singing (free download at stuarthinds.com)
2. An Overtone Experience/Eine Oberton Erfahrung (published by Traumzeit)
3. The Overtone Singing Virtuoso

Please share this news with anyone who might be interested, and don't forget that the first book is free.

Sie ist fertig - unsere Liedersammlung zum Einstieg in das polyphone Singen - erdacht für Frauenstimme, aber auch für Männer singbar. Beate Eckert und ich haben sie zusammen erstellt, eingesungen und bis in den Druck gebracht. Es sind bekannte Volkslieder, die auf zwei oder drei Grundtönen gesungen werden können. Ergänzt werden die Noten durch unsere Tipps und Tricks zum Einstudieren. Und das Beste: es ist eine CD dabei, auf der wir alle Stücke vorsingen - teilweise auch im Kanon.

Wir wünschen gutes Erklingen!

If you sing within in a modal scale and you want your accentuated harmonics to stay within that framework here is your key diagram.

The smaller, divided circles indicate which harmonics can be accentuated at each step of the modal scales if you want to keep the harmonics within the pattern of the scale.

Intervals from the Harmonic Series:
- Perfect Fifth: Two yellows + one blue (Harmonics 3, 6 & 12)
- Just Major Third: Two yellows (Harmonics 5 & 10)
- Minor Seventh: Three yellows + two blues (Harmonic 7)
- Major Second: One yellow

The diagram is essential for polyphonic overtone singers and also gives an explanation to why harmonics sometimes sound strangely off in certain contexts. For example at the first step of the Locrian scale (and second of the Aeolian; third of the Mixolydian; fourth of the Lydian; fifth of the Phrygian; sixth of the Dorian, and seventh of the Ionian) you can only use harmonic 7 if the accentuated overtones should fit within the scale (plus, of course, harmonics 2, 4 & 8 which are octaves). At the first step of Mixolydian (and second of the Lydian; third of the phrygian, ... etc.) there are much more options (harmonics 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12 plus 2, 4 and 8).

I included the harmonic seventh even though it will sound very flat in many contexts. On the other hand I omitted the partial 11, which may be used as a perfect or augmented fourth if your audience have tolerant ears, but it is even more off (about a quarter tone) than partial 7.

Release of the record An Anthology of Mongolian Khöömii

A Buda Musique Label Double CD, 47 p. booklet (in French/English/Mongol)

Through 43 tracks, including 28 previously unreleased, this double disc gathers the essentials of Mongolian khöömii, from early sound archives to the present day, to show the history and evolution of the art over sixty years (1954- 2016) and three generations.

The Anthology continues by the end of January with many textual and audiovisual supplements (12 videos), commentaries on the tracks, musicians’ biographies, and the “Making Of” the record. See the PDF or online at www.routesnomades.fr/en/anthology.

Artistic direction and executive production: Johanni Curtet & Nomindari Shagdarsuren
contact@routesnomades.fr / www.routesnomades.fr

With the support of the French Society for Ethnomusicology and the Unit of History and Arts Criticism (EA 1279), University of Rennes 2.

Order the CD online: www.budamusique.com

Jens Mügge: Klangmeditationen / Sound Meditations  Artwork by Claudia Dose
Graphic Realisation / Design: Jens Mügge

1. Seit anfangsloser Zeit 6:27
2. Im Fluss Sein 4:53
3. Offen Sein 12:03
4. Dabei Sein 4:38
5. Im Raum Sein 7:52
6. Langsam Sein 4:18
7. Liebeslied (Lamento) 4:32
8. Mitgefühl 5:42
9. Es war einmal 6:59
10. Aus Klang 12:59

Aus dem Booklet:

1. Seit anfangsloser Zeit 6:27
2. Im Fluss Sein 4:53
3. Offen Sein 12:03
4. Dabei Sein 4:38
5. Im Raum Sein 7:52
6. Langsam Sein 4:18
7. Liebeslied (Lamento) 4:32
8. Mitgefühl 5:42
9. Es war einmal 6:59
10. Aus Klang 12:59

Die Musik dieser Klangmeditationen wurde im Sommer 2008 im Ökowerk Berlin Grunewald aufgenommen. Die Stücke entstanden dabei quasi „unter Tage“, nämlich in einem ehe­maligen Wasserspeicher – einem einzigartigen Klangraum mit nahezu zehn Sekunden Nachklang. Meine Instrumente waren dabei mein Obertongesang, eine Shrutibox und Tanpura aus Indien, ein Khomus aus dem Altai, eine Springdrum aus den USA sowie ver­schiedene Klangschalen aus Nepal. Die Klangme­ditationen entstanden dabei nicht in einem Ton­studio, auch wurden sie nicht „abgemixt“. Sie ent­standen im Moment selbst, an einem Stück als ein ganzes Stück. So gilt mein Dank dem Ökowerk, im Wasserspeicher meine Musik einspielen zu können. Max Fürth danke ich für sein sehr feines Gehör und Geduld, die Klangmeditationen mit einem mobilen Aufnahmestudio aufzunehmen. Dankbar bin ich, dass ich Claudia Dose’s Werk „Heart String“ für das Booklet und Label dieser CD verwenden durfte. Ich wünsche dir viel Freude mit diesen Klangmeditationen.
Jens Mügge

Diese CD kann über meine Webseite www.jensmuegge.eu käuflich erworben werden.

Als Cover durfte ich mit freundlicher Genehmigung eines der wundervollen Kunstwerke von Claudia Dose verwenden. Es lohnt sich, ihr Schaffen im Blick zu behalten. Ihre Werke sind auf ihrer Website www.claudiadose.com zu bewundern.

We're running a special deal on our available recordings: Get 3 CDs (High Quality Digital Downloads) of The Power of Sound Vol. 1, Skysong Sampler and Big Sky’s Standing on this Earth for only $25!
Nice little deal for our new fans!
http://skysongpro.com/buyshop/recordings/

Buy direct at https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=TWV846UXFB2XN

Hello everyone,

I have been trying to promote the Mongolian art of throat singing here in Holland for the past few years. Now it is time to come with my first CD with the main focus on Mongolian throat singing!

Most of the songs are sung in Dutch language, telling stories about family, nature, love and memories. The cd is named "Herinnering" ("Memory", "Дурсамж").

You can listen to the full album on my Bandcamp page!
If you like it enough you can either decide to buy the printed CD Wallet (carton sleeve) or buy the digital album.

Whatever you decide, enjoy!!

See my website for more information www.rowanhartsuiker.com

Please go to my website to listen to the CD SHAMAN VOICE
If you like to order it, please do so. I will send it to you!


www.kailani.ch

Two people from different cities met in the summer of 2010 – Svetlana Sukhanova, a Krasnoyarsk pianist, and a jew's harp player from Irkutsk – Vladimir Markov. The jew's harp and the piano are very different-sounding instruments, but in the difference is hidden not only a certain difficulty for the performers, but also an amazing, unusual beauty, which was what prompted the musicians to come together as “1046” and to embark upon a course of creative experimentation. The name of the group, “1046,” is the distance between their two cities (in kilometers). Eventually they added other instruments to the original two – ethnic flutes, the Kalima, synthesizers. The distance does not hinder the duo and when they meet, the musicians create a multicultural space, viewing various musical environments, strata and traditions through their own worldview – which is what has found its expression in this, their first album.

www.varganist.ru
Download from tracker (Mp3,320kbps, 88Mb)
Download from tracker (FLAC)
Listen and Download FLAC or Mp3(320):
bandcamp

Dou 1046:
Dou 1046: Svetlana Sukhanova - Piano, Keyboard, Singing Bowl, Wave Drum Synth, Shaker, Kalimba
Vladimir Markov - Vargan (Jew's Harp), Native American Flute, Wave Drum Synth
Additional Musicians: Anastasiya Ilina - Vocals on Track 10
Natalia Albitskaya - Vocals and Shaker on Track 10

Seven Liberal Arts - Music
Click the title to see the full presentation! (27 slides)

(the author is Danish so please submit your corrections of language or factual information. They will be received with gratitude)

Spectographic excerpt from Jan Heinke: Orpheo's Angel

Underneath the text you may find links to various sources of polyphonic overtone singing and to a YouTube Playlist.

Polyphonic Overtone singing may be considered a gem of the universal harmonic language.
It comes to expression through the partially independent movements between the fundamental and the accentuated harmonics of the voice. The fundamental pitch may move upwards while the harmonic moves downwards or vice versa. Alternatively the two layers may be moved in parallel or the harmonic frequency stay fixed while the fundamental is moved.

These facets are not being utilized by the still more commonly known Tuvan and Mongolian singing styles where overtone melodies are produced on top of a sustained drone.

A few weeks ago I spoke with a talented singer who has been part of our harmonic community for years and heard several concerts with polyphonic overtone singers, and she had not even noticed this dimension of expression . And it is not the first time I have come across even very trained listeners who did not perceive all levels.
In other words: It is not only a question of the overtone singers to practice, because it is quite obvious to an attentive ear what takes place. It is also a question of the listeners to train their attention.
Denmark has very few overtone singers and hardly any polyphonic, but we have received several visits from leading polyphonic overtone singers, including David Hykes, Wolfgang Saus, Stuart Hinds, Kiva Simova and Jan Heinke.

The polyphonic aspect has been developed almost solely in the modern western overtone singing tradition, and David Hykes was probably the first to clearly describe and demonstrate its potentials.
Obviously we have not heard all the possibilities yet.

The Spectrography above shows Jan Heinke's polyphonic mastery in the piece Orpheo's Angel, where some basic situations (indicated by yellow brackets) are illustrated within a time interval of less than 10 seconds:

- The first part shows an example of the harmonic frequency (reddish) being sustained, while the fundamental (here blueish) moves one step downwards.

- Immediately after: Three harmonics accentuated from two fundamentals ( here blue-green with red-orange core) and with counter movement: Fundamental goes up while harmonic goes down.

- After the first half is an example of a sustained fundamental frequency (here blue-green with red-orange core), while the harmonic is moved first rapidly upwards, then downwards in three consecutive steps. This situation is in principle not much different from the traditional Eastern forms of overtone singing.

- Last part: Counter movement again: Fundamental moves downwards, while the accentuated harmonic moves upwards.

- The last basic situation – which is not illustrated clearly here – is the parallel motion of the fundamental and harmonic.

... and when in the introduction was written that the harmonic layer can be moved partially independent of the fundamental, it is because the fundamental in principle can slide freely, while the accentuated overtone layer will be 'locked' to the harmonic series arising from the given fundamental, and may jump from one partial to the next. When the harmonic is sustained while the fundamental moves, the movements of the latter must be picked from the subharmonic series of the harmonic (the inverted harmonic series).
However, there are many different intervals in the harmonic series (adjacent intervals become smaller as you progress in the series), and you do not need to follow the series slavishly by for example going from 8 to 9 to 10 (which would be do-re-mi), but you can also go 8-5-9 (do'-mi-re') etc.

The serpent in paradise may be that not all forms of singing do the accentuated overtones justice.
Personally, I often experience the attempt to control and master the harmonics within a limited and defined form takes the magic away from both the one as the other dimension: It may kill the soul of the sound and spoil the beauty of form. Within narrow frames the harmonics are likely to suffer: Optimally the overtones should be allowed to soar, and they should be produced by a voice which also functions well in its basis. Well, at least that is how I feel about it.

An allegory: The development of musical notation has meant incredible breakthroughs for the music of the west, but it has not been a development without costs, including sense of microtones, intonation, ornamentation, modal abundance and the expression of the free soul.
This applies to singing in general.
But more specifically the notation of harmonics in musical score, may be a little bit like performing big band jazz in the Taj Mahal: However wonderful the frame, it may simply not be the optimal setting for that sort of music!

Often it sounds to my ears somewhat intended more than felt. And one fundamental meaning of singing – and not least so when it comes to overtone singing – is to express a stream of emotion.
It is a dilemma, because I think to a large extent this very area, the polyphonic overtone singing, is where an important development can and must take place.
So I hope this article will not be taken as an attempt to keep you from polyphonic experiments, on the contrary.
And I hope along with these experiments the capacity of your voice to reflect, contain and express sentiment also will develope.

That is crucial to music and maybe to singers most of all.

Playlist from YouTube: Polyphonic Overtone Singing

... and a few links which may reflect in which directions this development may currently be heading:

Kiva Simova: Overtone Choir Scores

Stuart Hinds' book An Overtone Experience/ Eine Oberton Erfahrung. Including 15 polyphonic pieces.

Johannes Lind: 50 pieces (25 for women, 25 for male voices) for overtone singers:

From the count 03:36 in the video with Wolfgang Saus is shown his very clear and pedagogical illustration of opportunities with voice and hands. Unfortunately the most sophisticated part of the demonstration, namely counter movement, is being spoiled by the voice-over.

Some Thoughts on Music Aesthetics and Overtone Singing. Gisbert Schürig. Debate on Overtone Music Network.

Dear overtone singers,

my new book 'Pieces for polyphonic overtone singing' is now available. It contains 25 pieces for female singers and 25 pieces for male singers, including many folk song arrangements, some original compositions and even a polyphonic overtone-fugue. It is recommended for all singers who want to enhance their abilities in polyphonic overtone singing.

You can order it by sending me a PM or mail me at: overtone[at]fantasymail.de

best regards,

Johannes Lind

PLATONIC RATIO

Click the title to see the full presentation! (23 slides)

The ancient Greeks had a holistic understanding of the relation between music and numbers.

The key to this understanding was harmonics, of course. 

Det Springende Punkt presents:
Keys to the Harmonic Universe 
(click the title)

The site admin suggested I post this here, as I have in the Facebook group 'Overtone Singers Unite'. BTW, if you haven't already become a member of that group, I recommend it.
The subject of this blog is collaboration online. With overtones of course. The site I use is kompoz.com
You can find almost anything here in terms of style. There are some quite accomplished producers, engineers, composers, etc. here, so don't worry about the quality. Of course, there are some wash outs, but if you dig around, you can find some real gems, who welcome anything and everything to add to the mix.
I did this a while back, and without too much searching came across some tracks that really inspired me. I did the vocal tracks in about a 3 hour time span. The mix was completed by the people who originated the idea. It was dedicated to the people affected by the Japan Tsunami, called 'Waves'.
It has been published here and is available for various levels of licenses.
Listen here:

http://kompoz.com/p/23753

Masters of overtone singing

Хѳѳмэйн эзэд

a documentary-film by Jean-Francois Castell

"Coup de pouce" awarded at Nancy's film festival for researcher 2012

"Prix Bartók" awarded by the French Society for Ethnomusicology at Jean Rouch International Festival 2011

"Best documentary" at Festival Aux quatre coins du monde 2011

"Coup de coeur" selection at Festival Écrans de l'aventure 2010

The DVD: Film (53') with Bonus (33')

Languages (film+bonus): subtitles in English, Mongol, French

Released in may 2012

Abstract of the film:
Dörvön Berkh is a vocal ensemble of four soloist Masters of Mongolian overtone singing. Johanni Curtet is a young french ethnomusicologist researcher, who came up with the idea of persuasing these soloists to join together to perform a series of concerts and produce a CD. This remarkable documentary, filmed on the vast steppes of Mongolia and in Le Mans and Rennes in France, takes us on an extraordinary musical and ethnological journey: revealing how the concert tour was created, how the four individual singers learn to perform together, as well as the methods of teaching overtone singing and the researches of Johanni into the origins of this ancestral music.

The bonus:
You will find tracks with D.Tserendavaa singing xöömij near a waterfall, N.Sengedorj playing the tsuur flute near a river, N.Ganzorig interpreting his famous composition "Khöömii magtaal", an unreleased live video of Dörvön Berkh, Ts.Tsogtgerel at home reflecting his learning of overtone singing, Johanni giving a course of overtone singing at the University of Rennes 2, or leading a reflection on his research at the sound archives of the Academy of Sciences in Ulaanbaatar

To order the DVD online, follow this link: castelldocumentaire.free.fr

-------------

Français:

Maîtres de chant diphonique

Хѳѳмэйн эзэд

un documentaire de Jean-François Castell

Prix Coup de pouce du Festival du film de chercheur, Nancy 2012

Prix Bartók de la Société française d'ethnomusicologie au Festival Jean Rouch 2011

Meilleur documentaire au Festival Aux quatre coins du monde 2011

Sélection "Coup de coeur" au Festival Écrans de l'aventure 2010

Le DVD: Film (53mn)+Bonus (33mn)

Langues (film+bonus): sous-titré en Français, Mongol, Anglais

Sortie mai 2012

Résumé du film:
Dörvön Berkh est un ensemble vocal composé de quatre des plus grands maîtres du chant diphonique mongol. C’est Johanni Curtet,apprenti chercheur français en ethnomusicologie, qui a eu l’idée de les réunir pour une série de concerts et enregistrer un disque. C’est en Mongolie, puis au Mans, à Rennes que nous suivons le travail des uns et des autres: la création des concerts et le travail des grands maîtres, mais aussi les recherches de Johanni qui étudie les sources de cette musique ancestrale et recense ses pratiques et ses modes d’apprentissage. De la création de la tournée française, jusqu'aux confins des steppes de l'Altaï, ce film nous invite à vivre un voyage musical et ethnographique rare et envoutant.

Les Bonus:
Retrouvez de longues plages musicales, avec Tserendavaa diphonant près d'une cascade, Sengedorj jouant de la tsuur près d'une rivière, Ganzorig interprétant son fameux "Khöömii magtaal", un titre inédit en vidéo live de Dörvön Berkh, Tsogtgerel chez lui témoignant de son apprentissage du chant diphonique, Johanni donnant un cours de chant diphonique à l'université Rennes 2 ou encore, menant une réflexion sur sa recherche aux archives sonores de l'Académie des Sciences d'Ulaanbaatar

Une coproduction LA CURIEUSE/LES FILMS DU ROCHER/ROUTES NOMADES

Pour commander le DVD:

Par courrier, merci de retourner ce bon de commande accompagné du règlement: Bon_commande_DVD_Ma%C3%AEtres_de_Chant_Diphonique.pdf

Informations sur: www.routesnomades.fr

Paiement en ligne sur ce lien: castelldocumentaire.free.fr

Please check out my new book, the complete guide to polyphonic overtone singing: www.traumzeit-verlag.de/stuarthinds