[GJM] The Problem with Wikipedia.

[robert searle]

Dear All,

         I see Rodney is having problems with the
Wikipedia entry on BE. Whether the latter should be
merged (and hence, it importance diluted)into other
similiar ideas is an open debate. Personally, I think
the importance of BE as something totally "unique" is
overstated. 

There is an old saying. There is nothing new under the
sun. The same applies to TFE, or Transfinancial
Economics. Some have seen it as being "identical"
somewhat with something like Social Credit!!! This is
incorrect. TFE is similiar certainly but is much more
advanced.

Anyway, the thing we have to remember about Wikipedia
is that it is open house to anyone who wants to
"misrepresent" any kind of information. In my case, I
started to do some research on Voice Instrumental
Music. There was an actual entry on this rare, and
little known subject. It provided a mine of
information. However, it was later subsumed under the
more general title of Vocal Music when actually it
should be treated as a serious, and separate art form
of great significance. Indeed, my research project
into it shows how important Voice Instrumental Music
(or rather VIM my abbreviation is). 

The other thing about Wikipedia is that it comes up
with some questionable information... which later on
though was confirmed to be true.

As a side interest to economics, and monetary reform I
thought I might as well include here my internet essay
on Advanced Voice Instrumental Music (my other
invention apart from Transfinancial Economics, and the
Multi-Dimensional Hypothesis).

R.Searle


           Advanced Voice Instrumental Music; A New
Avant Garde Theory.



This essay is largely about the possible development
of Advanced Voice Instrumental Music, or AVIM for
short. Essentially, it involves the use of the human
voice to imitate musical instruments realistically but
at the same time producing new compositions
spontaneously (ie. free form, impromptu/on the spot
pieces). This latter feature distinguishes it from
ordinary melodious, and "non-melodious" Voice
Instrumental Music (ie. VIM), and is an area which can
be deemed as being mainly terra incognito as far as
"mainstream" music is concerned. 

To many ordinary music lovers, musicians, and
composers the above will at first appear to be 
outlandish. Evidence though clearly indicates though
that the human voice can be trained to imitate the
sounds of musical instruments very effectively.
Certain performances by a capella groups such as the
Swingle Singers,the House Jacks(American) and Vocal
Sampling (Cuban)are good examples of this. Indeed,
there have been some "experimental" uses of it (of
varying quality) via "mainstream" pop (eg. Bobby
McFerrin), and classical music (eg. Gorecki who used a
form of "chanting"in his famous Symphony No.
3.Incidently, chanting per se can be regarded as VIM,
and has been around for centuries).

Infact, the voice has not only been utilised  to
produce musical sounds effectively  but also a  whole
variety of other "noises" too. The Hollywood Film
Chorale Sounds Effects Choir springs to mind
especially their Honda advert which involved the
sounds of what a car can make in certain situations,
and climes. This ofcourse was undertaken by the human
voice.

Before going into more detail about AVIM it is
arguably necessary for us to get some futher insight
on ordinary VIM itself.


A.Basic Answers to Objections concerning ordinary
Voice Instrumental Music, or VIM.


Some people may think that effective vocalisations, or
improvisations of musical instruments as being
something "mad". Au contraire, it is simply something
which is "natural", and challenging but has yet to
attain a high degree of mainstream musical
respectability. 

Others might think of the whole subject as being
something childish. Again, it is not if the vocalisers
concerned can create mature, and interesting sounds.

Along with good whistling (which if performed well can
sound just like an instrument being played)ordinary 
melodious, and "non-melodious" VIM is seen by some as
being something which is common, and cannot be taken
too seriously as a genuine art-form. Ofcourse, people
do hum (which can give an illusion of hearing many
instruments at once in a band, or an  orchestra
even)their favourite tunes at times. This is a form of
"common" VIM but it is never really developed into
something better, and more artistic when perhaps it
aught.This infact requires skill, and practice.

Furthermore, if most, or indeed, perhaps all the
sounds of all musical instruments can be imitated then
it raises the question of their necessity! Naturally,
such a claim is absurd to a certain extent. VIM should
be seen as just another way of performing music which
is both entertaining, and interesting.


B. The Emergence of Advanced Voice Instrumental
Music(AVIM) Theory, and Practice.


Now, we shall have a somewhat brief look at melodious
Advanced Voice Instrumental Music, or AVIM. This goes
beyond VIM as already indicated, and is much more
important. It is something which could be seriously
developed. It could have important commercial
implications if a cappella performers could be trained
to do it successfully. 

In many respects, it could represent a "revolutionary"
step in the world of music because it involves Musical
Intelligence, or MI to a very profound degree. It is
spontaneous, free-form, impromptu/on the spot
performances of new music which can be based on any
musical style (eg. pop, baroque, jazz, renaissance,
medieval, et al). It is a theory yet to be made
provable by expert performers who would appear live on
the public stage, on the radio, on the internet, and
on television. Each performance would produce new high
quality music by means of the human voice. It would be
recorded for prosperity (if it is of a high
professional quality), and/or even be transcribed into
musical score if desired. 

One performer could produce a simple tune be it
string-like (eg.lute, guitar) piano-like,
woodwind-like (eg. recorder, flute), and so on. The
aim of AVIM is not necessarily to get an exact
replication of an instrument (though purists may
insist!). Rather it is the desire to create greater,
and greater musical diversity by means of the voice.
Some of this may not even have any obvious comparison
to any known musical instrument.

How could the above be undertaken? As soon as one
performer starts the others could with expert
listening imitate the spontaneous melodious notes
using distinct different instrumental-like vocal
sounds in the most harmonious way possible. This for
an amateur would be difficult in extremis. It would
require some practice. 

Another approach could involve the "opening" performer
to stop after a few minutes, and one, or more person
could carry on . Yet, they would produce a new
free-form composition spontaneously. Other ideas could
be introduced.

Ofcourse, it must be said that AVIM is not exactly the
same as the Jewish Nigunin of the Kabbalah tradition,
Tuva Singing, Scat Singing in Jazz, Buddhist/Tibetan
Chanting, Puirt a Beul(or Celtic Mouth Music, or
"diddling"),Beatboxing,and other throat, or overtone
singing. These vocal expressions are fine to a point
but are not necessarily "melodious". Yet, AVIM is in
essence more "refined", and artistic par excellence.
This is the point to grasp.

Naturally enough, AVIM  challenges orthodox musical
thinking, and if successfully performed could open up
new areas of music.It could even have esoteric, or
spiritual implications too. It could be used as a form
of creative concentration, and meditation. The scope
is infact vast as well as the possible introduction of
new spontaneous styles done in a mature manner.....

Yet, how could one learn to do AVIM? The most obvious
way for a beginner is to listen to music in general,
and to instruments individually. Then, one simply
tries to imitate the sound, and record them at home to
see how realistic, and three dimensional they may
appear. It is necessary to be a firm task master as on
all this to ensure that quality sounds are produced.
Such sessions should be short to avoid tiring out the
voice.

Onomatopeia is one method which could be used as a
teaching aid for melodious AVIM. In music it can
involve words that sound like the actual sound so to
speak! For example, "boom" of a drum  acts as a
verbalisation of a musical sound. Another instance, is
the "twang" of a guitar. In other words, verbal VIM,
and to a certain extent a non-verbal VIM  can be
created all at once.The Swingle Singers have done
notable examples of this but like Scat Singing seem to
notably use non-sense words in the process (eg Bah,
Bah, La, La, Na, Na, etc).In AVIM our concern is the
spontaneous creation of non-verbal music. However,
verbal VIM can be used to attain this if necessary as
an aid for training purposes.


C. Some Explanation About the Author, and his Evolving
"Invention" of Basic AVIM Theory.


My (the author) interest in the subject concerned came
about with my melodious whistling in Slough, and
Windsor (UK). I have done many performances in public
as a sort of pastime, and received many positive
comments (plus an unofficial "fan club"!}. AVIM came
about through this, and I suddenly realized its huge
potential. The downside of it is the possible wear,
and tear it can have on the vocal chords. There are
though many natural "remedies" for this, and they are
still under investigation. This situation is also met
by "normal" singers, and indeed, voice impressionists,
voice-over, and other vocal artists  as well. High
dosages of healthful Vitamin C could also be helpful
in maintaining health of the human voice....

Some would argue that AVIM is "unnatural" for the
voice. This is a controversial area but like most
things in life "unorthodox" vocal training should be
done in moderation. My mistake was to overuse my voice
when I realized I could imitate instrumental sounds
somewhat successfully. 

Hopefully, proofs of my talents (quality spontaneous
solo performances plus voice transmutation to other
instrumental sounds, and  "normal" singing)will be
heard, and indeed seen via yet-to-be  recordings, and
film footage. This will possibly (God-willing)occur
towards the end of 2008, or 2009. They will appear on
a special website which could help encourage the
research, and practice of VIM, and more importantly
AVIM. In other words, a showcase, and indeed,
clearinghouse of data on the subject. Probably, the
first in the world!

At present, my concern is setting up a busines(es),
and making money! Certainly, AVIM has great commercial
potential but it would take time for it to become a
viable proposition.

Whenever I did VIM in the mall it was amusing how
people would come in, and look around to see where the
harmonious musical sound (usually a woodwind-like
instrument which are the easiest to copy with higher,
and lower notes ofcourse)came from. Then, they guessed
by seeing me with my lips partially opened, and my
cheeks vibrating. Apart from their "funny" look, they
would sometimes ask me how I did it, and I would
explain to them that I was doing throat singing, or
Voice Instrumental Music (usually Renaissance, and
Medieval tunes... my main "loves").


D. Internet Resources for VIM.

There are a number of internet resources available for
Voice Instrumental Music, or VIM (as opposed to AVIM
which has yet to be properly developed). They
demonstrate quite clearly that the human voice can
imitate musical instruments. For those who are
interested I include a number of useful search words.
However, I am not going to spoonfeed people with
direct links but I will give some indications as to
where to go to on the internet........

You Tube is an obvious stopping place, and  has
excellent resources of melodious, and arguably
"non-melodious" VIM. Useful search words for
audio/visual materials are as follows i) Swingle
Singers (clips notably include the 1812 overture, and
the theme music of Mission Impossible all performed by
means of the mouth!).ii) Beatboxing video clips.iii)
House Jacks (clips notably include the theme music of
James Bond!}.iv) Vocal Sampling.....

Wikipedia had an extremely interesting article on VIM
later renamed Vocal Music. The latter though gives
some basic information, but the early versions of it
are much more important, and informative especially
under the old VIM heading. 

Ofcourse, there are a number of societies, and a
cappella group websites that are easily traceable via
simple word searches. Samples of their work can
usually be downloaded.


    "Vocalised Dance Music is suprisingly common...."

                    David Munrow (1942-1976).


























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