The Carnyx

[allezlesrouges]

The FAW have confirmed that the sounding of the carnyx will now be part of the pre-match ritual at home games, starting tomorrow against Iceland

I'd never heard of a carnyx until recently when a video of one being played at the Interceltic Festival went viral. It's a giant eerie and bone chilling war horn that was used by Celts during the Roman times, listen to it here: youtu.be/jRIQp4qZrrE?si=hcWOTvwAarsFxjc0

It was suggested that the FAW get one ready for the Poland game, but in order to get a proper one they've had to hire a specialist to make one for £3000. Our players have funded it amongst themselves as they were inspired by the video of it being sounded

More info here: nation.cymru/sport/terrifying-carnyx-to-be-sounded-at-wales-clash-with-iceland/

[redwall]

Big fan of this but it's depressing the FAW couldn't find 3k itself to pay for it and had to ask the players.

[aberbeeg]

Very poor show that the FAW can’t find 3k.

[talyfan]

Damned if they do and damned if they don't. I'm sure if the FAW spent £3k on that people would be moaning regardless saying it could go elsewhere!

[CrackityJones]

Maybe the players wanted to pay for it?

[winsumluzsum]

Nov 19, 2024 9:36:10 GMT CrackityJones said:

Maybe the players wanted to pay for it?

I'm sure the FAW would have paid for it but it's good for that Together Stronger stuff that that the players have literally and figuratively bought in to the idea.

[njdragon]

i love this!

[jimexotic]

This sounds mad! It's a nice touch and I hope it really adds an edge to the start of the games.

[aberbeeg]

Love the idea but it definitely didn’t live up to the hype

[melynwy]

Nov 19, 2024 20:15:24 GMT aberbeeg said:

Love the idea but it definitely didn’t live up to the hype

Haha! Yeah, didn’t come over in all its glory on TV (but then again, musical instruments in that kind of setting rarely do!)

The environment and its acoustics are a massive part of the sound of an instrument like that- unfortunately a little microphone clipped a few inches in front of it is not going to do it justice (that’s not a complaint- it’s the only practical way of picking the sound up for TV really)

Also, it’s very possible that the poor player couldn’t hear much of what he was doing, seeing as he was in a stadium with 30,000 people!

I’d love to hear it in the flesh at a nice concert hall.

*My work is sound engineering, so I always get defensive about things like this!

[aberbeeg]

Nov 19, 2024 20:36:19 GMT melynwy said:

Nov 19, 2024 20:15:24 GMT aberbeeg said:

Love the idea but it definitely didn’t live up to the hype

Haha! Yeah, didn’t come over in all its glory on TV (but then again, musical instruments in that kind of setting rarely do!)

The environment and its acoustics are a massive part of the sound of an instrument like that- unfortunately a little microphone clipped a few inches in front of it is not going to do it justice (that’s not a complaint- it’s the only practical way of picking the sound up for TV really)

Also, it’s very possible that the poor player couldn’t hear much of what he was doing, seeing as he was in a stadium with 30,000 people!

I’d love to hear it in the flesh at a nice concert hall.

*My work is sound engineering, so I always get defensive about things like this!

Haha some great points. Yes all sounded a bit flat over the tv ( and I’m tone deaf) 

[dai]

No sure how it came across on TV, but it was a bit if a damp squib. Maybe the playing of it didnt help. Supposed be a sinsister, intimidating tone….but I think the guy was trying to play it too much.

[jono]

I'd ditch that bo*locks. We'd be better off opening a crate of ale before kick off.

[surge]

Another go of it please as it's visually stunning, the noise is distinctive and it's a fantastic idea. Can it be louder somehow though?

[quetzal]

Didn’t see but give it another go please.

[neverever]

Nov 19, 2024 20:15:24 GMT aberbeeg said:

Love the idea but it definitely didn’t live up to the hype

Agree , it needs to be blown a few times rather than the once for maximum effect ( sorry to the lad who's job it is )

[conwy10]

Why not make a spectacle of it. All the lights dimmed and a spotlight on it. Some kind of build up to it rather than just blowing it. Could be made to be something unique if done right.

[allezlesrouges]

To be honest I think it needs to be played through the main speakers rather than projected through a microphone, and the focus shouldn't be on the crowd being quiet and the person standing on the pitch playing it - it should be loud enough to be heard over crowd chatter

Pre-record a sinister sounding loop of it and play it through the speakers for about 5 minutes to build up the tension and atmosphere

[jimexotic]

It needs to be louder and it needs to be in a full house that's really up for it with the lights dimmed. What we saw last night, if it wasn't Wales, we'd be saying "what the hell is this rubbish?" or words slightly harsher to that effect. It's a nice idea but it just wasn't executed well enough.

[dai]

I also dont think it wasnt communicated well prior to the game, or probably too late. There were a lot of ‘what the f*ck was that?’ comments around the stand after he finished.

[njdragon]

it started off a bit shit if im honest but got better, i really like the idea though and they should stick at it. Perhaps mimic the video, the other poster provided.. dim the lights, some smoke to make it more dramatic. Also was a bit lost in the crowds from where we were sat.

[winsumluzsum]

Not a great success. Too melodic if anything. Need some deeper tones and some of the ethereal stuff in yt. Needs to be a lit bit sinister!

[rico]

Given the unknowns involved, think it's fair to give the attempt a bit of slack. Poor guy had to play some instrument from the iron age in front of a stadium for the first time

Worth giving it another go with a bit of tweaking / suggestions people are throwing around. Although risks it straying a bit too much into gimmick territory.. arguably is already. Eh I like the idea, and is at least more considered than playing AC/DC and running out to big flame guns.

[conwy10]

I think the presentation is key. Can't remember it too much but I think he was wearing an Welsh Tracksuit blowing on it. Something like that should be a spectacle, like the flashing lights to zombie nation.

Dim the lights, have him resemble a Celtic warrior, I know it's not relatable but have some dragons breathing fire or something, have people dancing in celtic looking attire.

[CrackityJones]

I think it would work best after Zombie Nation. Blast that out with the flashing lights then fade to darkness as the carnyx starts then a spotlight on the player.

[allezlesrouges]

Nov 20, 2024 15:57:00 GMT CrackityJones said:

I think it would work best after Zombie Nation. Blast that out with the flashing lights then fade to darkness as the carnyx starts then a spotlight on the player.

I like this idea, but if we are going with it being played by a single bloke then we need to find a way of making it louder. It should be so loud that people don't have to quieten down to hear it, it needs to be something that is capable of spooking the away fans so much much louder is needed imo

[winsumluzsum]

Agreed, but it needs to sound spooky not melodic, otherwise what's the point? You might as well get a harpist - unambiguously Welsh.

[melynwy]

Nov 20, 2024 12:17:49 GMT winsumluzsum said:

Not a great success. Too melodic if anything. Need some deeper tones and some of the ethereal stuff in yt. Needs to be a lit bit sinister!

To be fair, I think there was a synthesizer pad playing alongside the Carnyx in that video on Youtube, which provided most of the deep atmospheric stuff!

[winsumluzsum]

It's OK to cheat a bit!

[allezlesrouges]

Nov 20, 2024 17:47:18 GMT winsumluzsum said:

It's OK to cheat a bit!

This. It's more about how it comes across than how authentic the sound is in my opinion