Sound Recording & Production

Our project office contains powerful computers, portable gear and software capable of high quality digital audio production. Many Yolngu musicians and storytellers have been recorded by outsiders in the past. We're trying to get these recordings back, but are also focused on empowering Yolngu to be able to make their own recordings of whatever they want whenever they want and to build our own archive of clan song by the best of the current generation.

We have also already provided service for one outside project by recording a Yolngu language voiceover for a film about the local Bawaka tourism enterprise. We can provide custom-made audio content for a variety of clients.

Rirrakay Yirralka’ngura Yirralka’wuy
Sound of the Homeland at the Homeland

Digital multitrack audio recording and digital filming of clan songs at remote outstations. We plan to release at least one full CD for each clan, recorded at home in the bush, at the community homeland most closely associated with the songs that aree being sung. These will be among the first CD releases of traditional Yolngu music with full liner notes and artwork created by Yolngu themselves, and the first commercial CDs of their traditional music owned and published by them. Recordings are also for viewing & listening in our public space and archives, and to be provided to ARDS radio which locally broadcasts music and information in Yolngu languages.

We still have plenty more to do, but here's info on the two sessions we've done so far.

• 30/08/07 - Three generations of singers recorded at the Wangurri clan homeland of Dhalinybuy – clan leader Mathulu Munyarryun, his sons Wakang and Malalakpuy and their sons Rrawa, Guyma, Rimbitja and Wumila, with Mirrwatnga Munyarryun and Arnold Marika on yidaki. More kids danced for the cameras. Audio engineer was Mulka Project coordinator Randin Graves, filming by Mulka CDEP staff Dindirrk Mununggurr and Nuwaniny Burarrwanga. Nuwaniny with Dhangdhang & Lirrina Mununggurr edited a short film of the children singers and dancers in iMovie which has proved very popular in our public computers and theatrette! Visit our Video page to see clips. A rough cut of an audio CD including these three generations plus a recording of Mathulu with his father Binydjarrpuma in 1952 has been prepared and given to the artists with an eye towards a four-generation Wangurri clan CD.

Recording session for Wangurri clan musicians Malalakpuy, Mathulu, Wakang and Mirrwatnga at home at Dhalinybuy.		The next generation at Dhalinybuy - Guyma, Rrawa and Wumila.

• 28/09/07 - Recording of Dhalwangu men Yumutjin, Warralka and Wambuna Wunungmurra at home at Gurrumuru. A rough cut audio CD has been provided to the artists, again in preparation for a CD release by the Mulka Project.  CDEP staff Nuwaniny and Dindirrk and Mulka co-director Wukun Wanambi are currently stepping up from iMovie and have begun editing footage in Final Cut Pro. You can see one clip from this session on our YouTube channel.

Dhalwangu clan musicians Wambuna, Yumutjin and Warralka.		Yidaki man Wambuna.