June 23, 2009

Move to ban animal porn | nooooooooooooooo Radio Netherlands Worldwide

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The sound of South Africa or simply annoying? | Radio Netherlands Worldwide

It has bright colours, it produces only one note and it is the latest fad in international football. It’s the vuvuzela, a traditional African horn that has brought a little local flavour to the Confederations Cup football tournament held in South Africa. But it has also led to complaints from international TV viewers about the droning noise the horn produces.

The Confederations Cup acts as a warm up for next year’s World Cup when the world’s spotlights will be on South Africa, its people and their culture. The vuvuzela and its sounds are one aspect of that culture which has apparently taken both TV viewers and football organising body FIFA by surprise. An unpleasant surprise, that is.

Buzzing
The sound the vuvuzelas produce in the stadiums has been compared to the annoying sound of the buzzing of bees or car horns honking continuously. (Listen to what it sounds like here). “It’s not really music that you hear”, admits South African musicologist and music teacher Pedro Espi-Sanchis. “But there is a kind of vibration coming out of that wall of sound that can be addictive”.

The origins of the instrument lie in the traditions of black South Africans, Mr Espi-Sanchis says. “It comes from various South African cultures, with different names such as mala-mala or pala-pala. The horn was used in official ceremonies and in traditional dances. Just to make life a bit less arduous and more fun”.

Patterns
But don’t think that what you hear on TV are simply random sounds – there’s a whole pattern that these horn blowers follow, says Mr Espi-Sanchis. “It’s a game of call and response. You’ll have one group blowing one pattern with the other group responding with their own pattern. But as the calls and the responses are one and the same note, you can’t really differentiate between the two. And with thousands of people playing the same notes, it sounds like a real cacophony”.

Incidentally, the horns you hear in football stadiums aren’t the traditional instruments generations of South Africans have used. The modern version is made of plastic by sports manufacturers Masincedane Sport and comes in various bright colours. Marketed as ‘the original sound of South Africa’, the horns are selling like hot cakes in various countries, the company states on its website.

Orchestra
Whether one uses a traditional horn or the modern day plastic one, the vuvuzela still produces that one note. Mr Espi-Sanchis is convinced the instrument offers more than just that and to prove that, he has formed the Vuvuzela Orchestra. “I do believe that the vuvuzela hasn’t quite found its power yet. When people play together, maybe thousands of them, playing the same pattern at the same time could lead to an astounding experience”.

Six notes
Mr Espi-Sanchis created six different versions of the vuvuzela, each of which produces its own notes. With these six different horns (or notes), he can play virtually any type of South African music. “Just imagine us playing old political protest songs from the bad old days, or newly written songs about football and the vuvuzela itself. We show that there’s more to the instrument than just that one note”.

Regarding the complaints from international TV viewers, football body FIFA may ban the vuvuzelas from next year’s World Cup. But that’s not an option as far as Mr Espi-Sanchis is concerned. “It will only lead to fewer people coming to the stadiums, as so many people cannot imagine football without their vuvuzela”.

So will next year’s World Cup viewers simply have to turn down the volume to escape from the droning noises? “Don’t do it”, Mr Espi-Sanchis says firmly. “Give it time to get used to. Let the vuvuzela develop into the musical instrument it could be”.

Listen to the song “Abafana”, composed by Pedro Espi-Sanchis and performed by the Vuzuvela Orchestra:

Dutch TV broadcaster NOS owns the rights to both the World Cup and the Confederations Cup and its spokeswoman Mirjam Willinge says “dozens” of its viewers have complained about the noise that drowns out the voice of the commentator.

“This form of musical enthusiasm may sound strange to our ears, but apparently it is normal in South African football”, she says. “Although, on the other hand, we also get reactions from people who say that this is just part of African culture and that we should accept it”. Despite the complaints, there is not much the NOS – or any broadcaster – can do about it. “Although we’d like our viewers to be able to watch the matches without undue interference”.

Vuvuzela: Horn of Africa [WHICH ALMOST BEATS MY 'DON'T MESS WITH MY TUTU' BUT NOW-NOW DOESN'T] channel4.com - Football Italia

Blog: Horn of Africa

Ban the vuvuzela? Steve Wilson thinks it would be an outrage if the sound of the Confederations Cup was silenced in 2010

It is called a vuvuzela. Alone it is harmless. Get a thousand or so together in a stadium though and it sounds like the angriest swarm of bees you can imagine. It has provided the unmistakeable sound of the Confederations Cup, with fans showing unfathomable lung power to toot their horn excitedly for 90 minutes. However, due to complaints from European TV stations FIFA are debating whether the instrument should be banned at World Cup 2010.

Don’t get me wrong, when I tuned in for the opening game I was baffled by the din. For a while it was irritating but before long I accepted it as background noise, and when the camera began cutting to local fans dancing and enjoying the ‘music’ they were creating it became clear that the vuvuzela will be the key component in creating a party atmosphere at the venues across South Africa next summer – and the cause of a few problems at airports for returning fans.

Of course, there has to be something to moan about though. No complaints from the people at the stadium. They love it. No, it is the sofa slobs thousands of miles away, slouched in front of their TV and whining that the noise is giving them a headache. Boo hoo. Answer me this – are the horns any more annoying than the Ultras with mega-phones at partisan stadia across the peninsula or the England Band droning out ‘The Great Escape’ constantly at Wembley?

This tournament is being played in Africa. This is what they do at football games in their country, it’s their football culture. If FIFA were to ban the vuvuzela then they may as well scrap the rotation policy of the World Cup and just stage it every year in Europe at times that suit the Europeans and with a European atmosphere at the stadia. The Mondiale is all about embracing our cousins all over the world and the quirks that make us all different in our love for the game.

For once Sepp Blatter seems to be on the ball. “I always said that when we go to South Africa, it is Africa, it's not Europe. It’s a local sound, it's noisy, it's energetic. This is Africa. We have to adapt a little,” said the FIFA President. And kudos to him for that attitude. The vuvuzela must stay for the World Cup 2010 tournament, and if you are one of the misery guts who have been moaning I hope the fans make even more noise next year – just to annoy you.

Have your say on this issue. Email us at: fieditorial@channel4.com

This is a beautifully written blog about an instrument that has annoyed me too! I
can see your point of course that this is what they do and we just have to get used to it, but do they really have to do it throughout the entire match?

I was thinking of actually going to the World Cup to watch a few matches but if my seat was in the middle of all that, I think I'll return deaf! I can hardly hear the
commentary and lowering the natural sound volume is not really great either.

I agree that the fussy Europeans shouldn't be able to dictate how they create a buzzing atmosphere in South Africa but for the sake of everyone, I hope the South Africans adopt another less annoying instrument to play throughout the entire match, perhaps a flute!
Zico, London

I am sorry but I completely disagree with you. The sound is extremely disturbing and it is not fun watching the game if you can’t hear the noise of the crowds and get excited with them.

I have watched the games so far, and I keep resisting the temptation to just mute the game.
Chady Abdelnour

I was at the opening game and to be honest with you no one with these horns seemed to even be watching the game. They were too busy dancing around and ‘performing’ to all the other people who weren’t watching the game and were busy dancing around ‘performing’.

Don’t get me wrong there was a distinct atmosphere as a result, and outside the stadium, in the bars and streets which created a wonderful experience. During the game however I am yet to be convinced, and as from your own words
you ‘tuned in for the opening game’ and are therefore one of the very ‘sofa slobs thousands of miles away, slouched in front of their TV’ that you so strongly condemn. I would be slightly more tactful about what you write.
M Lynch

I think your argument is embarrassingly Euro-centric and patronising. The complaints against the Vuvuzela are wholly practical and not some cultural attack as some sections of the media purport it to be - you don't have to be so apologetic for being European.

FIFA shouldn't ban it, the TV stations should just cut the volume on the feed from the stadium mics, "us TV slobs" aka people who love football but aren't
priveledged enough to be able to ditch our jobs and travel to South Africa can enjoy the football, the crowd spectacle, generate revenue for advertisers (that trickles down to the host country) without developing a migraine within the first 20mins and switching off games we are watching as neutrals such as South Africa vs Iraq.

In addition your two examples make no sense at all the Ultras megaphones are barely audible on TV as it's tens of megaphones rather than tens of thousands and they do not go on non-stop for 90 minutes, ditto for the England band who churn out a few different chants and not for the whole 90. How this is comparable to the sound of a car horn for 90+ minutes non-stop baffles me......are you audibly challenged Mr Wilson?
Miguel Gonzalez

I have already bought four World Cup tickets and after this vuvuzela popped up, I am seriously considering quitting the trip !

It annoys me, it ruins the game! I mute the sound when I am thousand kilometres away, so imagine sitting inches away between to vuvuzelas for 90 minutes!

The EPL is the best League in Europe ONLY because the fans chant all the time!
Hrant Vartanian

I thought this article made a very good point. The noise didn't bother me - it sounds similar to Nazionale games played away at stadia in the former Soviet republics. And it's part of the country's atmosphere.

But there was always something unsettling me about viewing Confederations Cup games - until I read the comment from Chady - and suddenly it hit me! We can't hear the fans cheering, and the sounds of emotions generated by the azioni's!

Is there no TV technology to lower the sound at certain pitches/frequencies - given the noise is so monotonous?
Riccardo, Rotterdam, Holland

I completely agree with Steve Wilson - the sound of the vuvuzela is part of the unique atmosphere of the games in South Africa. What is the difference between the vuvuzela and someone playing drums continuously or the brass bands of the Dutch fans etc.

What has happened to football fans these days? Stop moaning and enjoy the football! One advantage of the vuvuzela is that it drowns out the commentary which is biased as usual towards Brazil and anti-Italian. They are also very condescending and patronising towards the smaller nations.
Susan, Berwickshire, Scotland

I am a huge football fan, but didn't have big expectations for the Confederations Cup. Actually, I was planning to watch only the later stages when the big guns will meet.

By chance, I turned the TV on for the South Africa - Iraq game, and soon noticed this vuvuzela noise. It immediately filled me with some amazing World Cup feelings.

This horn turned a game that I wouldn't watch normally into a World Cup kind of game. It was the same with the Spain - New Zealand game, and I have enjoyed watching all the games since.

Simply, I believe that this noise is bringing so much more than it is taking away from the World Cup, that its banning would be an awful decision.
Borce Nikolovski

Yes the vuvuzela is part of the African game, but one thing not mentioned is whether it is blown for an entire 90 minutes during regular African team games?

I would be surprised if that were the case, and think that they are doing it non-stop because they know they are being seen on a world wide scale and want to impress the joy and euphoria of the moment.

It is a big historical moment for South Africa to be hosting such an international event, so I would guess part of the zealousness of the vuvuzela is due to that. I may be wrong, but can anyone familiar with African domestic football confirm whether this is the norm?
Donato Totaro

The "vuvuzela" is the reason I have never been able to watch Mexican soccer. I thought that so long as I avoided the sub-mediocre Mexican League I could avoid the annoyance, but now I understand it is a South African staple.

How about a compromise? Mexican (if they qualify) and South African games can have vuvuzelas and I will gladly not watch. Neither country produces football worth-watching or deserves to even be on the world stage, so no big loss.

But please, no vuvuzelas during serious can't-miss football matches, that would be an infamnia.
Jose Vasquez

I bet the British were on top of the complaining as they complain about everything.

I personally don't mind the sound. I guess being Italian, I'm used to noisy stadiums, horns, drums, the like. I think it adds a unique atmosphere and if it gives them a headache, they can turn the TV off. No one is forcing them to watch the game.

No one is forcing anyone to watch these games. God, I can't stand people that
whine about football culture.
Lev Milanesi

The Horns in the stadium is even more irritating than an Andy Gray commentary! If it is such a feature for African football then let those nations use them at their matches.

I was going potty watching the Italy v US game, no wonder the players under performed having to play with that racket for 90 minutes ;)
Onofrio Sanfilippo, Guildford

I love it! It reminds me of the old gas-filled klaxon horns from the World Cup that was held in West Germany in 1974. I think it creates a brilliant atmosphere and will actually do everyone a favour by drowning out the multiple attacks on the English language and cliché-ridden nonsense the ITV and Sky commentators and ‘summarisers’ continually bombard us with).
Adam, Chester