iDIDJ Australia Didgeridoo Cultural Hub

Um... just trying out some stuff I learnt from Laga, MP3 attached below. This is a fast and dirty recording done on my computer's in-built mic, will graduate to better recording equipment when I've improved on this. I had it better yesterday and got a bit more practice at it today. The difficult part is keeping the tongue relaxed and loose, after years of hard tongue stuff.

Any1 else want to try? Pls upload if you're feeling up to it...

Guan

Hi Guan what would the tounging be on that ive slowed it down slightly and sounds like dip er dar dip er dar at various speeds

and heres a slower version

Thanks pretty cool Stockie. Here's another MP3, a faster one I recorded of myself yesterday when I was in prime condition

Nah, actually it is Laga again. I'd be in fantasyland to think I could play like that!

Slow this one down if you can... it'll be interesting to 'see' the individual phonemes that Laga uses in his compositions. I don't think this sort of style is amenable to written notation like dip-a-drong-drong kinda thing... the technique involved is far more complex than that and requires very deliberate and precise tongue attacks and lip/mouth positioning. The tongue must be relaxed but forceful.

Hope that helps.

Guan

Nice Guan,
I will give it a try tonight when I get home. Sounds great.
The slowed down ones are quite interesting too stockie.
Really like the final clip

cheers, Martin

here you go lets try to get our heads around this one is there a spoken way of passing it on as in Djalu teaches that you could try and record and post ie how did Laga teach you the style and does it have a specific name like Gunborg, Wangga, Galpul etc or is it a style specific to him?

it does sound a bit .....diper dar, diper dar, diper diper, diper dar

It's not about precise tonguing sounds Stockie but more about timing and precision when applied to quick impacts and hits. If you say 'diper dar' etc it will sound totally wrong.

Hi Stockie,

I feel like a voyeur listening to and analysing Laga slowed down like this

There's so much you can pick up this way though, like his use of voice to add power to his tongued accents.

As for mouth sounds, they're not useful, trust me. I basically watched intensely, and listened to Laga explain his tonguings and his technique. I've posted elsewhere what Laga calls this style: djaykulung.

Come over to the 2008 Rripangu Yirdaki Masterclass next year and we'll teach you some of this stuff

Guan

I would love to come over but its time and money (and my missus) both of which I dont actually have at the mo but you never know what may happen in the next six months or so so any sponsours would be cool tee hee!!!!

This is a night video recording of Laga on a used ceremonial yirdaki. The last time it was used was for Djakapurra's recently deceased sister, when ceremonially transporting the body from morgue to airport. I've extracted the audio as you can't see anything in the video... too dark. MP3 below.

Guan

OK,
after spending a few hours trying to get around the sound that Adam makes, I recorded a little bit of my own attempt..
The tongue is still too hard i think and there is lots else missing.. At any rate, here it is. Maybe if I get a chance to pratice a bit more I will put up another .

I think that's a great attempt Martin and I agree with your thoughts on your tongue being a bit too hard still. Perhaps if you keep the preciseness of the tonguing but without as much power you'll get even faster! That being said, I haven't tried this style yet.

I love those overtone notes Martin! You got the general feel and rhythm there, goodonya. I had another go at copying Laga, just focussing on the first few seconds of rapid tongue attacks. This is quite hard because no breath is taken... I started ok but stuffed up mid-way from lack of air so I've edited that out and just pegged together 3 short attempts at starting up with fade outs in between, MP3 attached below. It is a bit of an improvement from yesterday and I've managed to 'blunt' the tonguings so they don't sound so jarring but my playing is still one-dimensional compared to Laga. He packs a lot of punch and gets those lovely textured sounds happening. Ah, more practice...

Guan

Thanks Kyle,
I think it is really the opening passage, djaykulung style - as Guan informs us,
that is the tricky part. It is what slows me down the most and the part that I need to work on more
to make it fluid. In general Adam Marrilaga has a lovely light and clear sound..
I will keep listening and imitating and hopefully I can post something a bit better. Thanks for the comments mate.

Martin