Μαζεύουμε, Ταχτοποιούμε - Κατερίνα, Tactopoetry, demo

 

Playing back from SONY TC-D5M. Recording made with Shure Unidyne B and Pleiades K177 1.3V mic booster preamplifier, see previous post. Live singing is taking place with playback while mobile phone records, so voice is really double tracked.

A Book on The Principle of Least Change in Music

 

It started as a letter to Clive Davis. But somehow it evolves naturally to a humble small thesis.

Here is the link:

https://euroelectron.blogspot.com/2025/04/a-letter-to-clive-davis.html

We Chace Beauty Not Money

 

For example the music industry at its best practice.

The best paradigm is Clive Davis.

Testing Pleiades K117 1.3V JFET AA battery microphone booster in real recording conditions

 At your risk.

Schematic is:

It was used yesterday to record a rough demo of Tactopoetry, see previous post.

The Shure Unidyne B microphone was at 24in or more, and singing was almost breath whispering. So in order to fully modulate the SONY TC-D5M recorder, this mic booster was used. Very nice edge timbre and very low noise level performance. Piano was gently played at the same time.

It would be nice to have a small box of 2 of these preamplifiers for stereo recording.

 

Children's song Tactopoetry, παιδικο τραγουδι Μαζευουμε, Τακτοποιουμε, μουσικη απο την Κατερινα

 

Going down the street in Varkiza, a city by the sea near Athens, there is a kindergarten.

Yesterday morning a young teacher could be heard singing to the little kids in the garden, μαζευουμε, μαζευουμε, κακτοποιουμε. It means we pick our things, we pick up our thinks, we tidy up.

I realized it was a good idea, came back, played on a Yamaha PS-3, finding that the key is C sharp major, not C.

Below are the interesting notes she used (most black keyboard keys), and the harmony I humbly realized they imply. Her permission was asked to publish this.

It works well as it helps me tidying up better.

(La,Si,Do,Re,Mi,Fa,Sol) is (A,B,C,D,E,F,G)

Bass                  Melody                Harmony             Lyrics

#C                   - #C #G #G            #E+#G+#C         μα-ζευ-ου

                     #E #C #G #G                                       με-μα-ζευ-ου

#C                #D  -    -     -              #F+#G=#C          με

#G                 -   #C #G #G            #F+#G+#B             τα-κτο-ποι

#C                 #G  -     E    -            #E+#G+#C           ου   -   με

Tactopoetry comes etymologically from ταξις=order, ποιω=to make, create, hence ποιηση=poetry.

Τακτοποιω in Hellenic means to tidy up.

Pleiades K117 1.3V Schematic

At your risk. Please take all safety precautions, including protecting your ears from high sound pressure level. Any battery should be in series with a suitable protective fuse to avoid skin burns or fire hazard. For this reason it is out of the question to wear metal jewellery, for example a ring, when working near a voltage.

Anastasia (instrumental), basic parts

 

bass                          harmony

F                               - A C G                   - - D -   (melody sung by 3 young women to be played later on)

F oct                         - A C G                   - E - -

F                               - A C G                   - - D - 

F oct                         - A C G                  - C - - 

G                               - A B G                  similarly...

G oct                         - A B G

G                               - A B G

G oct                          - A B G

repeat

F                                 - A C G

F oct                           - A D G 

E                                 - G C G

E oct                           - G D G

bE                               - G C G

bE oct                         - G C G

D                                 - F C G

D oct                           - F C G

G                                  - G C G

G oct                            - G C G

G                                  - G B G

G oct                            - A B G

GOTO beginning 

                               

Michael B. Tretow

 

Sadly no longer with us.

Best known for engineering the ABBA records.

A pioneer of varispeed (recording at different tape speed than playback) and speaking about it in interviews.

I have a Dream - ABBA

Batteryphobia

At your risk. There should be a fuse in series with a battery for fire protection. Batteries as any electric potential source can be lethal too.

For so many years there might have been some kind of battery phobia.

Endless ink for cathode resistor, capacitor in parallel, sometimes complicated biasing procedures.

With just 3 batteries for Va, Vb, Vc, as seen on one of the first amplifier patents by Arnold and 2 transformers an amplifier can be made which sounds so amazing, words can not describe.

In more modern times the Pleiades DL94 sounds very nice, see previous euroelectron posts.

Most Beautiful Surprise

 

Most beautiful surprise

Hands in hands

Kissing like butterflies 

There's Always Room For Great Songs - Michael Masser

 

The Correct Note Is Higher Than Our Mind Perceives

At your risk.

It is only at the threshold of hearing (very small sound intensity) that (objective) frequency and (subjective) pitch become one. At higher intensity the same frequency creates a lower pitch perception [1}. So my recent listening observation is that good musicians, vocalists, violin, flute players,.., may play the first few milliseconds of a note flat but almost immediately raise pitch to make, what they just started to play, match with the backing track. It works even when singing a cappella. In fact it is the first time I can feel myself singing in tune and not flat. 

This is how it works for me at the moment. I immediately have in mind, counter to intuition, to raise my pitch just after starting any note. Singing for example a A h, where 'A' is at a higher frequency than 'a' the flat nonsense I thought I should sing.  Once you start increasing the note frequency a feedback mechanism tells you when note is perfect. Then you are happy and audience is possibly happy too.

When I was transferred to the military headquarters of Hellenic Airforce while doing my military service someone told me about this and I kind of thought it sounds crazy. I never saw him again but now after many years I would like to thank him.

Here are a few examples:

Reference [1]:

Sound and Hearing - Time Life Encyclopedia - Chapter 4: Mind's Influence - S.S. Stevens (Harvard University), F. Warshofsky   

  

Producer Narada Michael Walden

Including many references to Clive Davis. 

Inside the Album Q@A:

Se Mia Neraida, music George Chakiris

​Σε Μια νεραιδα

roughly 

Dm

Verse

Τι γλωσα μιλας           Dm   A F F E   C/Dm  F

Απο ποιον κοσμο         D E E bBmaj7 F F 

Ηρθες πλασμα φωτεινο (μαγικο)   Cmaj E F E D Am  E

Α....     pedal A    ADF, ACDF, AbBDF, GbBDF, GCE, ACE, A C F

Bridge

C D Cm D bE bE bE bE bE bE D F D C C C C C repeat

Chorus

Και τωρα τι κανω  F bB C D bBmaj C bB bEmaj7 

Πως μιλανε...        F D Cm bE bE D bE D bE D Fmaj C  repeat

Και τωρα τι κανω

Πως μιλανε

Σε μια Νεραιδα

Τι γλωσα μιλας

Απο ποιον κοσμο

Ηρθες πλασμα μαγικο

A...

verse 2

Μια Ηλιαχτιδα    Dm A A A bBmaj7 bB F

Τρεχει στα μαλια σου  Gm7 G G, G F Cmaj G G

Να κρυφτει      G A Cmaj E  (Am)

Κρυβομαι κι εγω μοναχος

Και καθε φορα

Με ξυπναει μια φωνη

Το χαδι στη χρεια σου

Το σωμα σου

Νερο στην αμουδια

Και τωρα τι κανω

Πως μιλανε...

Και τωρα τι κανω

Πως μιλανε

Σε μια Νεραιδα

Se Mia Neraida, lyrics

 Se Mia Neraida, lyrics: George Chakiris

​Σε Μια νεραιδα

Τι γλωσα μιλας

Απο ποιον κοσμο 

Ηρθες πλασμα φωτεινο (μαγικο)

Α....

Και τωρα τι κανω

Πως μιλανε...

Και τωρα τι κανω

Πως μιλανε

Σε μια Νεραιδα

Τι γλωσα μιλας

Απο ποιον κοσμο

Ηρθες πλασμα μαγικο

A...

Μια Ηλιαχτιδα

Τρεχει στα μαλια σου

Να κρυφτει

Κρυβομαι κι εγω μοναχος

Και καθε φορα

Με ξυπναει μια φωνη

Το χαδι στη χρεια σου

Το σωμα σου

Νερο στην αμουδια

Και τωρα τι κανω

Πως μιλανε...

Και τωρα τι κανω

Πως μιλανε

Σε μια Νεραιδα

επιπροσθετα

Εχεις τη γλυκα

Της Ανοιξης

Τη χαρα (το φως) του Δειλινου

Αστερια πευτουν

Χαρα μου

Πως μπορω 

Να σ'αρνηθω (ν'αντισταθω)

Paul McCartney on Songwrtting

The Secret of Lionel Richie For Songwriting

 Don't think. Just et it come through.

Thank you Richie. I just let a cute song come through yesterday.

All Night Long..., Lionel Richie Explains His Songwriting Skills

 

The Principle of Least Change in Music on Hello - Lionel Richie

 

Recorded on mobile at the SNFCC Public Piano.

Bebis' Radio Theme

This is the simple theme inspired by Bebis, the loved cat of Vicky.

Recorded at SNFCC public Piano. 

Playing at SNFCC Public Piano

 

Keep Doing What You do...

 or not do, you give me strength.

If You See Excellence In Someone...

 it inspires you trying to be excellent too.

Euroelectron Views: 320148

 

Thank you!

Nada, San Remo 1971

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2mZ17sTxB0

Tolis Voskopoulos a cappella

 https://www.youtube.com/shorts/weDHWkP1z6k

This must had been recorded at Columbia Studios EMI in Athens.

There seem to be varispeed between the video shorts. 

So they are also didactic to hear the difference that a change in tape recorder speed does to the vocal timbre.

This is at slower, perhaps original speed, and without reverb. The original reverb, perhaps this too must have been either the EMT plate, or the Columbia Studios Echo Chamber with Leak power amplifier with electronic valves (electron tubes).

https://youtube.com/shorts/2TPtuUSDxvc?feature=shared

Higher speed plus reverberation. The original reverb, perhaps this too must have been either the EMT plate, or the Columbia Studios Echo Chamber with Leak power amplifier with electronic valves (electron tubes).

https://youtube.com/shorts/weDHWkP1z6k?feature=shared

Music is the language of the heart and mind

Mack the Knife - Luis Armstrong live at the BBC

 

Some songs I like and my explanation of Hit Song Elements will be soon added on previous post "A Letter to Clive Davis"

The very nice Shure Unidyne B, 515SD, 515SB microphone

 At your risk.

This microphone sounds very nice connected directly to the preamplifier! The bass sounds correct as this microphone is engineered to start cutting below 200Hz thereby correcting the bass emphasis proximity effect.

Signal Path:

male voice singing When I Fall in Love - Nat King Cole (same key) - Shure 515SD  made in Mexico at 24in, 30 degrees above head -  Sony TC-D5M - TDK SAX - Sony TC-D5M (reproducing) - Pleiades 2N3053 power amplifier - Celestion Ditton 150 - small room with some panel bass absorbers

Same experiment was repeated outdoors at a noisy environment. Impressive results, voice sounds closer to reproduction speaker/ High frequency definition increases.

This is possibly the first microphone I have bought. And one of the 1st I had is the original Shure 515SB made in U.S.A. which was used for lectures in my family's central branch of Homer schools of English. It sounds amazing.

Foe further tests windshields will be needed.

Shure SM58 directly connected to Altec 9014-A passive EQ

At your risk.

Signal Path:

male voice singing When I Fall in Love - Nat King Cole (same key) - Shure SM58 made in Mexico at 24in, 30 degrees above head - Altec 9014-A EQ - Sony TC-D5M - TDK SAX - Sony TC-D5M (reproducing) - Pleiades 2N3053 power amplifier - Celestion Ditton 150 - small room with some panel bass absorbers

Very promising results were obtained by cutting 7dB at 250Hz and 315Hz. All other controls at 0 dB (no reduction).

A simple vocal recording filter for SM58

At your risk.

It happened almost by chance.

An inductor of 100mH was connected in series with a capacitor of 100nF. So both in series between SM58 and preamplifier recorder Sony TC-D5M.

Signal path: male voice singing When I Fall in Love - Nat King Cole in the same key as Nat - Shure SM58 at 24in, 30 degrees above head - 100mH in series with 100nF - Sony TC-D5M - TDK SAX cassette - TC-D5M (reproducing) - Pleiades 2N3053 power amplifier - Celestion Ditton 150 

It sounded very nice with no bass emphasis, the capacitor corrects bass emphasis by low cut. The inductor may possibly remove some mid emphasis? and does not seem to cut high frequency content. This is possibly because the core may be a mu-metal one spare from a Coles 4038 internal mic transformer. As frequency increases the permeability decreases. So inductive reactance may not be proportional to frequency.

Other combination that worked fine is 100mH in parallel with 220nF and total in series between microphone and recorder.