Songs in indigenous languages

It is difficult to access music created by artists in other parts of the world who compose the lyrics to their songs in a language other than English. It is a challenge to find a practical and easy format that would allow the public to view the music notation of the melody combined with the lyrics written in the native language of the composer. For someone who speaks English only and neither reads music nor understands the language of the composition however, it can be difficult to get a sense of the music and the language unless an easy-to-follow method could be provided. The songs are midi files and simulates the sound of the piano to play the notes.

If you are learning the Lakhóta language, there are alternative ways of working with Lakhóta words that can provide a sense of the culture as well. One of ways to apply the language is to learn traditional songs that are sung for a wide variety of occasions.
The internet provides streaming protocals that enable one to engage in this learning process at one's own pace. However, computer technology requires particular skills, basic ones -- like downloading and installing fonts and internet browser media players.

Most culturally-oriented websites charge for this. However, here -- at this site -- Lakhóta samples will be provided free.
This applies, not only to streaming audio through internet media players, but also to streaming audio/video with Lakhóta text and English subtitles.
Unfortunately, this kind of media requires a fast cpu in order to provide synchronization of media-to-scrolling text. The variable disynchonization that you may observe will typically occur if the cpu of the computer that you are using is slow.
I have produced and tested these files with a 1.4Ghz cpu and 768mb ram with a 100 mbps cable connection.

If you are interested in listening to notes of an indigenous song and observing the notes correspond to the individual syllables of a lyric line, in the text of an indigenous language, there is a solution which, although somewhat complicated, provides a free player which enables this.
However, this song will require you perform a couple of tasks before you can hear and see how the media player works.
If you can perform these tasks, you will be able to download the Lakhóta font that will allow you to see the Lakhóta text and its English translation that I will provide at a later date.

As an example, I have arranged the sheet music and produced the text, in Vietnamese, of a song which was popular in Viet Nam during the U.S.-led war 1960-1975. If you wish to explore this, first of all, there are a couple of things that you will have to do:

• First go to this link for info on the fonts you will have to download and install.
• Download and install the free Myriad Music Player internet browser plug-in, which will enable this feature, from Myriad Music Player

• You may have to change your internet browser settings in order to allow an outbound connection to the Myriad site. At the Myriad site, you will be given information on how to use the Myriad Player and which Myriad Player to download and how to install it.

 

1. "I Have Caused Them to Roam" A traditional Lakhóta song.
2. "Tina Sizwe" A Zulu folksong from South Africa.
3. "Chưa Mòn Giấc Mơ" A song from Viet Nam by Trịnh Công Sơn.