                 sflib directory _a_u_s_t_r_a_l_i_a
          (sounds from native Australian cultures)

This directory provides  sound  sources  from  native  (pre-
European) Australian cultures, and in particular from abori-
gene instruments. Most of these sounds were digitally copied
by  Jim  Croson and A.S. from the Bigfish Audio compact disc
_D_i_d_g_e_r_i_d_o_o _a_n_d _o_t_h_e_r _p_r_i_m_i_t_i_v_e _i_n_s_t_r_u_m_e_n_t_s. A DAT tape  copy
of  this  full  cd  is  available in the ECMC AUDIO DAT TAPE
LIBRARY for those seeking additional sounds similar to those
in  the  sflib/australia  directory.  (Many of the sounds on
this cd that we have not included  in  /sflib/australia  are
additional didgeridoo "grooves.")

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I. AEROPHONES :

(1) Aborigine didgeridoos :
     All of the  soundfiles  beginning  with  the  character
     string  _d_o_o are monophonic didgeridoo sounds. These are
     divided into six groups:
     o+ _d_o_o : 13 long tones with typical  didgeridoo  timbral
     variations:
          Those soundfiles labeled simply _d_o_o followed by  a
          pitch  abbreviation  (like  _d_o_o._a_1) are long tones
          (between 6.4 and 9.5  seconds)  with  time-varying
          timbral/formant  variations  typical of didgeridoo
          playing. These 13 soundfiles include most  of  the
          chromatic  tones  between  _g_s_1  and _g_2, with three
          variants of _d_2.
     o+  _d_o_o._t_o_n_e  :  11  medium   duration   tones   without
     timbral/formant variations
          The eleven soundfiles with names that include  the
          string  _d_o_o._t_o_n_e are of medium duration -- between
          2 and 3 seconds  --  and  are  played  "straight,"
          without  vocal  inflections or time-varying varia-
          tions in timbre and spectrum.
     o+ _d_o_o._s_h_o_r_t : 10 short tones:
          Soundfiles  whose   names   include   the   string
          _d_o_o._s_h_o_r_t  are  short tones (generally less than a
          third of a second) generally  with  rapid,  sharp,
          "spitting" attacks and with relatively little tim-
          bral variations. The 10 soundfiles in  this  group
          range  in  pitch  from b1 to as3, with alternative
          versions of _b_2 and _g_3 and one short "trill" sound-
          file:  _d_o_o._s_h_o_r_t._g_3-_e_3
     o+ _d_o_o._w_i_l_d : 7 soundfiles  with  rapid,  erratic  vocal
     inflections:
          In the seven  _d_o_o._w_i_l_d  soundfiles  the  performer
          includes  rapdily  changing vocal and sung inflec-
          tions.
     o+ _d_o_o._s_q_u_e_a_l : High-pitched  vocal  inflections  within
     short tones:

          In the three short _d_o_o._s_q_u_e_a_l  soundfiles the per-
          former  sings  a  high tone while blowing into the
          instrument.
     o+ _d_o_o._g_r_o_o_v_e :  14 "grooves"
          There are eleven _d_o_o._g_r_o_o_v_e  soundfiles  in  which
          the performer includes rhythmically regular (metr-
          ical) vocalizations within a sustained tone.
          Three additional soundfiles  whose  names  include
          the  string _d_o_o._s_t_a_c._g_r_o_o_v_e feature similar metri-
          cal vocal inflections, but instead of sustaining a
          single  played   tone, the performer rearticulates
          new tones with staccato articulations.

(2) 5 _w_o_o_d_f_l_u_t_es :
     The five _w_o_o_d_f_l_u_t_e soundfiles, pitched between  _f_s_4 and
     _f_s_5,  have a buzzy timbral quality, rather like a cross
     between a kazoo and a recorder.

(3) 8 _b_u_l_l_r_o_a_r_e_r_s :
Bullroarers are hollow wooden shells, about 30 cm (a  little
less  than a foot) in length with long straps. These instru-
ments are swung around the body to create low  pitched  bass
tones. They have been used by Australian aborigines for cen-
turies (perhaps for 40,000 years, according to some sources)
to  clear  an  area of evil spirits. (Hmm - perhaps we could
use one of these around the  ECMC  studios  when  things  go
badly.) For pictures and more information see:
     http://www.aussiecatalog.com/hand3.htm
     http://babelfish.altavista.com/cgi-bin
     http://cinemedia.com.au/FOD/FOD0820.html
The 8 _b_u_l_l_r_o_a_r_e_r soundfiles in  the  sflib/australia  direc-
tory,  available  in both mono and stereo (_S_T) versions, are
numbered from lowest to highest pitched.  However,  most  of
these tones include pitch slides and glissandi. The approxi-
mate center pitches for these soundfiles are:
     bullroarer1 and STbullroarer1 : f1
     bullroarer2 and STbullroarer2 : e1 sliding up to b1
     bullroarer3 and STbullroarer3 : g1, sliding up
     bullroarer4 and STbullroarer4 : b1,  sligding  down  to
     g1, then up slightly
     bullroarer5 and STbullroarer5 : b1 with a  rising  por-
     tamento into cs2
     bullroarer6 and STbullroarer6 : cs2
     bullroarer7 and STbullroarer7 : e2 (but sharp), sliding
     down
     bullroarer8 and STbullroarer8 : g2 (but sharp)

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II. CHORDOPHONES : jawharps

The four mono _j_a_w_h_a_r_p soundfiles -- 2 variants each  on  the
pitches _c_s_2 and _e_2 -- include nasalized "boingy" (or "oink")
formant changes typical of this magnificent instrument.

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III. IDIOPHONES:

The eight monophonic _w_o_o_d_h_i_t soundfiles are variants (alter-
native "hits") of a single sound source -- two hollow sticks
struck together like claves.  The approximate strike tone of
all  of  these  soundfiles is  _e_5, _b_u_t _t_h_e_y _v_a_r_y _s_o_m_e_w_h_a_t _i_n
_t_i_m_b_r_e, _b_r_i_g_h_t_n_e_s_s, _a_r_t_i_c_u_l_a_t_i_o_n _a_n_d _d_u_r_a_t_i_o_n.

                      January 6, 1999


