Beeayboll Fluency

8/9/2019 Beeayboll Fluency

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Pronunciation and "fluency" in Beeayboll

Structure of Beeayboll

Beeayboll is a sonic language derived from an 8x11 grid containing one syllable in each ofits squares. Eight different sequences of these eighty-eight syllables were created bytraversing the paths running from each corner to its opposite. A 704-syllable "palindrome"was then created by ordering the sequences in such a way that the same series of syllableswas produced by reading either forwards or backwards through the series.

As the Beeayboll project developed, another eighty-eight syllables were generated byreversing the sounds of the originals. For example, the first syllable, "bee," generated "eeb."The second syllable, "ayb," generated "bay." And so forth. With these "backward" sounds,another eight sequences of eighty-eight syllables were created and the original palindromewas extended to 1,408 syllables. It was now made to be a palindrome in thesonic sense,such that it were sung backwards it would sound the same as being sung forwards.

At the same time that the palindrome plays a key role in the Beeayboll project, in musicalpractice, compositions and improvisations in Beeayboll are often created from muchsmaller component parts of the grid. The eighty-eight-syllable sequences running fromopposite corners are key building blocks in the system.

The following pages contain a series of exercises designed for a vocalist who is learning theBeeayboll sonic language in order to attain "fluency". To the listener, Beeayboll most likelysounds like an incomprehensible foreign language. However, the "words" derived from the

grid have no semantic meaning whatsoever, they are simply sounds. Therefore, a "fluent"speaker of Beeayboll is not concerned with any grammatical rules. Fluency in Beeayboll,instead simply means the ability to cleanly pronounce any series of syllables in the grid.



How the exercises are organized

As mentioned previously, the eighty-eight-syllable sequences that make up the Beeaybollpalindrome are key structural units, and thus the following exercises are divided in thisway.

For easy reference, I have named the sequences for the their initial syllables, followed by a1 or 2, depending on their order in the Beeayboll palindrome. The original eight gridsequences are as follows:

bee 1 (upper left to lower right, proceeding horizontally: bee, ayb, oll, ah...)bee 2 (upper left to lower right, proceeding vertically: bee, lah, taow, tel...)bah 1 (upper right to lower left, proceeding horizontally: bah, bay, bee, boll...)bah 2 (upper right to lower left, proceeding vertically: bah, ohv, bee, torr...)lay 1 (lower left to upper right, proceeding vertically: lay, vohl, vor, toov...)lay 2 (lower left to upper right, proceeding horizontally: lay, toll, tov, nah...)nll 1 (lower right to upper left, proceeding vertically: nll, sov, tay, zoh...)nll 2 (lower right to upper left, proceeding horizontally: nll, vohl, shlay, klah...)

When the "backwards" syllables were added to Beeayboll they were mapped onto the samegrid with each square now containing the original syllable and its sonic mirror image. Sothe additional eight sequences follow the same trajectory (in the same order) as theoriginal eight, but are named for "mirror syllables", as follows:

eeb 1 (upper left to lower right, proceeding horizontally: eeb, bay, loh, ah...)

eeb 2 (upper left to lower right, proceeding vertically: eeb, ahl, waht, let...)ob 1 (upper right to lower left, proceeding horizontally: ob, ayb, eeb, lohb...)ob 2 (upper right to lower left, proceeding vertically: ob, voh, eeb, roht...)ayl 1 (lower left to upper right, proceeding vertically: ayl, lohv, rohv, voot...)



recitation of the sequence. However, in doing so they fail to produce all possible phrases oftheir respective lengths within the grid. So in these cases, additional exercises are includedwhere the starting point in the grid is "displaced" such that the vocalist can practice, forexample, all of the four-syllable phrases in the sequence that occur not only by startingfrom the first syllable of the sequence, but by also starting on the second, third and fourthsyllables as well.

Performing the exercises

The basic procedure for every exercise is to read through it repeatedly at a steady pulseuntil this can be done without pausing or stumbling. This is sufficient explanation to beginthe exercises now without reading here any further. However, through my own practice, Ihave discovered what I believe is the most efficient method for organizing this practice, andsince it may prove useful to others, I will describe it here (although it may make more senseto the vocalist after having tried out a few of the exercises).

In approaching a series of exercises for a given sequence from the Beeayboll grid, it isuseful to proceed from the single sounds through the various length cycles, ending with thecycles of eight. However, one shouldn't attempt to master any given exercise beforeproceeding to the next. Rather it is useful to start with more modest goals for each exercisein order to proceed through the entire chapter. Once we've made it through to the endonce, we then repeat the exercises again with higher expectations.

I have developed the following practice regimen:

First reading:

Beginning with single sounds, read each sound one at a time to ensure correct



Second, is where to place the sounds that link two syllables, that is, the end sound of thefirst syllable and the beginning sound of the second. If two consecutive syllables arethought of as two beats, in some cases the smoothest pronunciation of the two-syllablephrase will be achieved by sounding the ending sound of the first syllable on the secondbeat. This is often the case because the first syllable ends with a hard consonant sound andthe second begins with vowel or soft syllable. This rule may be truer for Beeayboll than forregular spoken language, since it is used in musical composition and the vocalist is oftenasked to pronounce phrases within a given rhythm. In this case, it is generally easier tobegin a beat with a hard sound. Thus, if asked to say "torr tohv oll" as a triplet, it is easierto pronounce as if it were "torr toh voll."

(One other peculiar problem is the syllable "ss". It is simply necessary to be conscious ofgiving this syllable one beat like every other since this sound does not normally form itsown syllable - at least in English - and therefore it has the tendency to glom on the syllablethat precedes it in a given sequence. For example in bee 1, "ss" follows "tayv." Whenreading through this passage, one must avoid saying "tayvss" on one beat, but make sure topronounce two beats: "tayv-ss." At the same time, at a fast tempo, this may still feel/soundlike "tayvss", but then we have to be conscious to pronounce these joined sounds for aduration of two beats.)

So, returning to the exercise regimen, after satisfactorily pronouncing all the single sounds,one should then read through the pairs. Read through the exercise one line at a time topronounce each two-syllable phrase satisfactorily. Then repeat the exercise with a regularrhythm, but once again using rests between each phrase in order to focus only onconnecting the two sounds in each phrase, and leaving aside for the time being the

connection between the end of one phrase and the beginning of the next.Proceed through the remaining exercises, included all "displaced" cycles in the samemanner as the pairs. As the phrases become longer it will become a little more difficult



So, during the second reading, the vocalist should repeat each grouping of eight phrases -no longer resting between phrases - until they can do so smoothly (of course, any singlephrase or connection between two phrases that proves to be a tongue twister can berepeated until it is smoothed it out while working to master the entire grouping)."Mastering" the grouping may simply mean one correct reading before advancing to thenext, although one may repeat the grouping multiple times to solidify it, if so desired,before continuing. But once again, the entire series of exercises builds the tongue's musclememory, so at this stage it is not necessary to dwell for long on any one exercise.

3rd reading:

Now that we have familiarized our tongues with the series of movements that it willtraverse in a given sequence, we now want to demand more of ourselves. Now, in order to"pass" an exercise, we must be able to read through it in its entirety, on a steady rhythm,without stuttering or stumbling.

This raises the issue of how to breathe since this involves, depending on the exercise, achain of anywhere between eighty-eight and 616 sounds (the cycles of seven which requireseven recitations of the sequence). Breathing in Beeayboll is discussed further below, butfor now we can say that the vocalist may insert a pause of one or two beats to take a breathwhen needed. It would probably be most natural at the end of one of the eight-phrasestanzas. However, once we have learned well the contours of this syllabic sequence andcan increase the tempo, our goal should be to sing the entire sequence as eighty-eightsixteenth notes following one well-prepared breath.

Once we can read through every exercise from start to finish in this manner we have gainedbasic fluency with this grid sequence. Subsequent repetition of the exercise or use of thesequence in rehearsal or performance of Beeayboll compositions and improvisation willfurther solidify our fluency.



For this reason, it may be useful when following the above described practice regimen tosometimes return for extra work on the groupings of eight (including the displacements) atdifferent points during the process.

- Ultimately, a high level of fluency in Beeayboll requires memorization of the gridsequences. It aids the performance of Beeayboll music in every way, just as memorizingone's scales is essential in other music. However, this should not appear as aninsurmountable challenge. In fact, it comes almost naturally as a result of repeating theexercises. However, a vocalist may find that it useful to simultaneously work onmemorization of the sequence even as they are still progressing through the exercises.

Again, it seems to me to be most useful to do this in groupings of eight. One can begin bymemorizing the first eight syllables of the sequence, then the first sixteen, then twenty-four, etc. Recite them without reference to the grid or written exercises (I have found ituseful to keep a copy of the exercises I am working through with me at all times and take itout for quick reference when I get stuck reciting from memory and need a reminder). Extrarepetitions of the exercises of the groupings of eight will also aid this process.

For the vocalist who will take on the challenge of learning the entire Beeayboll palindrome,or even large portions of it, effective memorization of the entire sequence will probablyinvolve some type of mental visualization of the grid. This is useful since the various gridsequences, while beginning and ending in different places, all traverse the same rows andcolumns. Thus every sequence that moves horizontally will have eight eleven-syllable rowsthat are the same as another sequence, the only difference being the ordering of theserows. Likewise, each vertically moving sequence shares eight-syllable columns in common

with another vertical sequence.Thus, while the muscle memory that develops by repeating the exercises is an aid to thememorization of any sequence, it can also be a pitfall if we rely on it too much in the larger



practicing our exercises away from the grid so we are familiar with the sound corridors andthen alternating back to using the grid as a visual reference.

Sight reading from the grid is also highly useful in a performance since it represents allsequences of the palindrome simultaneously. Thus, one could, for example, sing the entirepalindrome of 1,408 syllables reading from the grid without having to turn a single page.

- I usually recite the exercises as a drone chant on a single syllable. However, this issometimes monotonous and, in any case, unnecessary. It is certainly not the only way thatthe syllables are used in Beeayboll music (although chant is often employed). Often it is

useful, if only to freshen the exercises, to sing the subsequent phrases by alternatingbetween two pitches, singing through a lengthier series of repeating pitches, singing arepeating melody that fits the length of the phrases being sung, or simply freelyimprovising melodies while singing the exercises. The more predictable and sing-songypatterns will tend to be more useful for reinforcing a steady pulse for the purpose of theseexercises.

- Breathing: As previously explained, compositions in Beeayboll employ all manners ofrhythmic strategies, and this also refers to the use of rests. But the momentum created bysinging long chains of syllables without pause is of particular interest to me as a composer,so breathing in Beeayboll is a special concern.

Above, it was said that in the final reading of the exercises one should read from start tofinish without pausing, but that one could stop to breathe where necessary for one or twobeats. But at a higher level of fluency, a vocalist would do so in the following manner: if,

after reading 10 phrases, they required a breath equal to the length of one phrase, insteadof resuming the recitation on the eleventh phrase they would instead say the eleventhphrase in their head while breathing, and then resume the recitation on the twelfth phrase.



useful to practice improvising with irregular rhythms. Try starting and stopping,accelerating and decelerating, etc, while reading through the sequences. Try reading thesequences in phrases as if keeping up half of a conversation with another speaker,complete with expressions of surprise, excitement, doubt, etc. Speak as though asking aquestion or giving an answer. The vocalist who has learned many or all of the sequencesshould practice moving freely up, down, left and right through the grid and alternatingbetween the original and mirror syllables. I call this method of improvisation "gridwalking." My hope is to one day develop Beeayboll music for an ensemble of capable gridwalkers.

Pronunciation of the Beeayboll syllables

English is my first language and the syllables of Beeayboll are written with English-language spellings - including some of its idiosyncrasies. It would have undoubtedly beenmore efficient to have composed the syllables with a more scientific method, but thissimply wasn't a consideration at the time that Beeayboll was created. However, a uniformpronunciation of the syllables (or something close to it) is certainly useful in any ensemblereading of Beeayboll music.

Variations between different performances are certainly permissible and probablyinteresting as there is nothing particularly sacred about the pronunciations I have used upto this point. However, as a general guideline for a new Beeayboll speaker, I offer thefollowing aid: below I have listed the syllables individually, each paired with an Englishword that rhymes with the "correct" pronunciation (as I have used it).

Original syllables:

bee, tree bee, tree arr, tar tor,store bee,tree



* For no good reason that I can explain, I have fallen into pronouncing this syllable in thechart two different ways, depending on the sequence of the palindrome. The morefrequently used pronunciation is the first of the two provided, and a vocalist learningBeeayboll may simply use this one in all cases.

**this syllable is the only I have altered since the original Beeayboll grid was created. Inthe original grid (which I still use), this syllable was written "lawv", but I later decided thatthis spelling was overly misleading given the pronunciation I desired (see above). Thus,while it remains "lawv" in the grid (it is the second syllable from the right in the third rowfrom the bottom), I have written it as "laowv" in the exercises and also wrote it this way in

the mirror grid that was created much more recently.

Mirror syllables:

As explained previously, the mirror syllables were created by reversing the sound of theoriginal syllables. It should be noted that this is not the same as reversing the spellings andthen reading the resultant sound (although this works in the case of some syllables).Rather I tried to hear what the backwards sound would be, and then spell it. Some of thespellings are not exact, but rather approximations that seemed most appropriate in orderto minimize unnecessary difficulties in pronunciation, especially at faster tempos.

Here, then is a list of the mirror syllables, again paired with rhyming English words.

eeb, dweeb eeb, dweeb rah, saw roht, goat eeb, dweeb voy, boy bay, tray ayb, babe yeh , get voht, goat let, get yight, kiteloh, show ob , knob noh, show loh, show wowb, cow-b' lohb, globeah, saw ahl, ball rah, saw bwaht, hot vor, store roht, goatayb, babe waigh, sky yeh, get yeh, get leh, get voot, shootlohb, globe rah, saw voh, show vor, store erw*, where-w' bayl, pail



slightly open. To pronounce "erw", begin by saying "eh" and then move the lips forwardand close down the mouth until reaching the position described in the previous sentence.

**"vwowl" rhymes with "towel" as suggested above, but it is one syllable, not two. Like"erw", described above, it is easier to pronounce it when connected with a subsequentsyllable than on its own. When spoken alone, the mouth closes and the lips move forwardto pronounce the [w] sound as in "erw", but the vocal shape continues to change as thetongue then raises to touch the roof of the mouth at the soft palette just behind the frontteeth to make the final [l] sound.

Pronunciation and rhythmic phrasing

The best way to discover the correct pronunciation of Beeayboll is simply to follow theexercises. I did not "compose" the pronunciations, rather, I myself discovered them in theprocess of learning how to annunciate all the syllables at an even pulse in an unbrokenchain. As with my two different pronunciations of "rov," mentioned earlier, other vocalistsmay discover that small adjustments in other places may be necessary. Or they may simplybecome habit when pronouncing the syllables in different sequences and placing stressesin different places, depending on the musical phrasing involved. I am happy to accept anyminor variants of this nature as accents or dialects of Beeayboll.

I would like to mention a few other points on pronunciation and connecting syllables inphrases based on my experiences singing Beeayboll.

- Whatever musical timing is used in singing the syllables, each sequence contains a furtherelement of rhythm embedded in the syllables themselves by virtue of the alternation ofhard and soft sounds produced by different combinations of consonants and vowels.When we sing the alphabet as children, we notice that the sounds suddenly flow from our



not be accented if the syllables were spoken as a series of words of differing lengths such asoccurs in normal language.

In other places, we may make small adjustments in pronunciation to help us reinforcemusical rhythms. Two adjustments I have used are for [r] sounds and [h] sounds.

Sometimes I roll the [r]'s. Apart from creating a trilling sound, this is sometimesadvantageous in that it somewhat hardens the soft [r] sound.

Sometimes I use an arabic [h] sound - [خ] - likewise to harden what is otherwise an almost

non-existent sound. This change came about when I began reciting the mirror syllables andencountered several places where a syllable ending with a vowel sound was followed by asyllable beginning with another vowel sound (eg, "yeh ayb", "rah eeb," etc). Without thisadjustment it was very difficult to separate the two syllables into two distinct beats.

* * * * *

Hopefully, these notes have served as an aid to vocalists learning to speak (sing) theBeeayboll language. In the future I plan to expand Beeayboll based on the addition offurther syllabic grids and palindromes. I am confident that the methods described here willserve adequately to gain sonic fluency with these other phonetic patterns as well.

Included with the exercises are copies of the original Beeayboll grid and its offspring, theBeeayboll mirror grid.

- Seth Dellinger, June 2010





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Beeayboll Fluency