Hello! I apologize if this kind of post isn’t allowed here; I just couldn’t think of a better subreddit to post in.
I did [a test run of a cover of TamazP’s ひらり、ひらり,](https://hanaluna.bandcamp.com/track/hirari-hirari-demo) originally sang by Vocaloid Hatsune Miku. My Japanese skills aren’t great, so I wanted to know if somebody could listen and critique my enunciation and pronunciation (had trouble with those “r” sounds for sure) before I re-record the final version. I feel like I can understand it, but of course I’m not fluent or a native speaker.
ほんとうにありがとう :3
6 comments
Relevant to this is a song that I think is good for pronunciation.
あいうえおんがくby GReeeeN
And I would rate your pronunciation but I’m not that good at Japanese myself. Good luck with your learning journey!
Overall, your pronunciation sounds great to me. The only note is that the ひらりらひらりらり sections start to sound too much like hidadihidadidadi and loses the Japanese r sounds. Instead of tapping your alveolar ridge with your tongue flat against it, try flicking it forwards on the ridge with the tongue starting out curled back towards the throat. [Here’s a quick YouTube tutorial that shows a diagram of what I’m talking about](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnkl-v1LZ7I)
your T sounds are a little too hard, at least to me. try to soften them.
instead of the T like in the word “tell” or “tickle”, try putting a little less effort, don’t launch the T too hard. I actually can’t think of a good example in English, maybe someone else could pitch in here.
Unrelated but on your bandcamp you say ひらり means fluttering, but typically (I’m unfamiliar with this song though) fluttering is ひらひら and ひらり is *lightly* or *nimbly* or something like that.
The t is kinda too strong and not the soft t in Japanese, I’m not Japanese but I ‘m learning it and the soft t and hard t sound in my language is distinguished that’s why I could tell. Also the r sounded like a soft d, that’s usually fine sometimes, but mostly it should sound like a r/l i think?
P.S you’re talented! I liked your cover a lot!!
Wait, initially I posted saying others gave good pointers, but I just listened in again, and I don’t think there is is anything wrong with the T pronunciation. I don’t get people saying Japanese T is soft. When sang like this, I don’t know how this can be done softer.