Limitations of Free Access - In providing free access, revenue is derived from advertising. When this website was first set up in 2014, advertising was limited and used mainly on content that had a large number of viewings so many Welsh songs were available without any advertising and when there was any it was not very intrusive.
Current Advertising - Recently, the level of advertising has been stepped up to a point where it has become annoying and intrusive and along with this has come pressure to sign up to a monthly subscription whereby there is are no adverts with videos. There are many more useful features with a subscription such as the ability to downoad videos rather than playing them online and the ability to set up playlists etc. It is still possible to use YouTube from this program but it becomes more difficult as more obstacles are put in the way and it is possible that access could eventually be denied.
Problems with Advertising and ways around them - Typically when a video starts, the first thing to appear will be an advert with a 5 second countdown before a "skip Ads" button comes up. If this is not clicked the advert may go on for a long time. When it has been clicked, the advert should stop but sometimes there is a follow up Ad with a note that your video will play after another countdown. Sometimes there is a large notification promoting a Subscription with a button for a Free Trial or an option to Skip. Having got through that it may be noted that the small "Auto-play" button that is visible when hovering over the bottom of the video has been changed to "On" even if you have turned it "Off" previously. The effect of this is that the video will not just stop when finished but will carry on by playing the next video in the current Playlist (not the next one in this website's list). It may also be noted that the item at the top of the playlist is often an Advert before the rest of the current playlist continues.
Typical order of actions to get to the song you want to play - If you want to see the lyrics of a song, where that is available, click the Show Lyrics button to show these is a new window. Return back to the main window and click on the song title which should take you straight to YouTube where the song will eventually play. If greeted with an Advert, either wait until the "Skip Ads" apears or until a countdown has finished. At this point there will probably be an invitation to a Free Trial of Watching Without Ads. Click "Skip Free Trial" and follow this up by clicking the "Auto Play" button at the bottom of the video to switch it "Off". You may then be able to play the song which should eventually come to a close until you select another one and go through the same procedure again. As mentioned before, there may be some changes to this sequence trying to force the watching of further Ads or you may be lucky enough to encounter less obstacles.
Note - The above procedures apply to use on a PC. Android devices generally present things in different ways though the same principle applies in trying to get you to take up a subscription or to watch Ads.
Broadband - To play YouTube videos reliably requires a minimum broadband connection speed of about 2 megabits/sec. Any less than this is likely to case pauses and degradation of the video quality.
Usage Allowance - Typical broadband usage for one hour of YouTube viewing is about 400 MB, so if you do not have unlimited broadband this needs to be taken into account in your usage allowance.
Memory Usage - With many browsers, memory usage builds up with each video watched and this means that, after a while, the computer may start to go slow, also affecting other programs that may be running at the same time. This can generally be resolved by closing the browser window or tab running YouTube plus any other windows or tabs linked to it such as those associated with this website. If this does not resolve the issue, closing and restarting the browser may help and, failing that, deleting of Temporary Internet Files and / or Disc Defragmentation may be necessary (This may be caused by other computer activity, not just YouTube).
Downloading pdf files of Lyrics - The largest of these files is less than 200 kb, so uses minimal system resources, even if broadband speed or allowances restrict the use of playing the videos.
As someone who has been learning Welsh since January 2013, when I started on a Popeth Cymraeg course - I came to the conclusion that, apart from studying in lessons and from course material, it was a great advantage to immerse myself in as much Welsh as possible to help consolidate and extend my vocabulary. It soon became apparent that the whole structure of the Welsh language differs greatly from English, so it is not easy to use a logical approach as might be the case with some other languages. The best way to learn seemed to be to pick up as many phrases and short sentences as possible in order to become familiar with the structure of the language and then adapt them for wider use by modifying them with different words. This whole process would, therefore, require a lot of practice and repetition in order to get them implanted in my memory, especially as I started learning the language in my late sixties when it takes more effort to commit things to memory. At the time of setting up this website, I had been learning Welsh for 21 months and, having listened to the Gwyneth Glyn and Dafydd Iwan songs numerous times, I could then understand most of the words and could quote quite a few lines from memory, though not always with total accuracy. These songs are mainly sung at a moderate speed and do not use too many complicated structures so are not too difficult to follow.
The Meinir Gwilym songs and Bryn Fon songs were added later, and many of them are either faster or have more complicated lyrics so it took me time to get to grips with them, though I was doing quite well with some of the easier ones. I also found an assortment of other singers with a lesser number of songs each and added these for extra variety. Do not be deterred by the faster or more complicated songs as they often have simpler choruses that are repeated several times so this repetition helps in both following the words and committing them to memory.
Lyrics shown on Videos - Whilst compiling this list, I gave preference to songs where lyrics in Welsh had been added, along with the English translation. This generally made them easier to follow, though with some fast or complicated lyrics it is still not so easy. These lyrics and background photos were mainly put onto YouTube by someone with the hashtag of 'DistantDreamer' who has done a great service to learners: without this I would have found it very difficult to provide these myself. Often, where there were no lyrics on the actual video, someone had provided them in the comments below. In this case, I was able to create pages containing the lyrics which could be viewed in another window whilst listening to the song in the first window. I also did this for some songs that already had lyrics but then decided that it would take a lot more effort and that the documents provided for downloading should be adequate. However, if time permits I may start to add extra ones and/or new songs.
Speaking Welsh with Other People
This is ideal for someone living in a area where Welsh is widely spoken, but I live near Rhyl where very few speak the language, so it is only in the Welsh lessons where I can get any practice.
Watching Welsh TV, or Listening to Welsh Radio
This is of some value, although in the early stages of learning it is very difficult to follow the language when spoken at normal speed, so there is limited value in this until a wider understanding has been achieved. However, there are some Welsh programmes such as Hwb aimed at learners and these can be very useful. I started watching Hwb when I had been learning Welsh for about 9 months, and try to watch each episode a number of times using S4C Clic on the Internet. I started using English subtitles most of the time but then progressed to using Welsh subtitles right from the first viewing, only switching to the English ones if there were some things that I just couldn't understand from the Welsh. Note that at the beginning of summer 2014 Hwb finished, but on Sunday 12/10/2014 at 11.30, a new learners' programme called Dal Atistarted. The format was somewhat different from that of Hwb with rather less material aimed at beginners. The presenters tried to keep the language clear and not too complex, but people who were being interviewed varied greatly in talking speed and vocabulary. I later discovered that the programme was indeed aimed at intermediate and advanced learners. However, it was still useful for practice in listening to conversations which covered interesting topics from different areas of Wales, even if I couldn't keep up with all of it. It put my own learning efforts to shame, though, when it featured a learner who could speak better Welsh than me after learning for only three months, although she was a lot younger than me - that is my excuse!.
Addition Learning Programmes from the Internet
Websites such as SaySomethinginWelsh, Cariad@Iaith and several others were useful for providing different ways to approach the language and giving extra material to practice with. However, watching and listening to these could become tedious after a few repeats.
Reading Welsh Books
It may appear that reading Welsh books for children would be ideal for beginners, but in practice it is difficult to find the right age group that corresponds to the level that is most suitable. What it is easy to forget is that a child of three or four has a wider grasp of their native language than most learners in the first year or two of lessons. At the age of eight or so, most books are trying to stretch the reader's vocabulary by using a wide variety of words, and trying to read these books may involve constant thumbing through the dictionary, which can be very tedious. By selecting books aimed at younger children, the subject matter tends towards fairy tale stories and childish subjects that are not so useful for adult learners.
Listening to Welsh Songs
This, I have found, to be the way that I can enjoy extending my Welsh without feeling that it hard work. Whereas listening to other material repeatedly soon becomes tediously boring, listening to a good song dozens of times can still be enjoyable. The words tend to fit in with the music, which in turn helps the memory. After listening to lots of Welsh songs, I find they keep going round and round in my head most of the day and this helps to consolidate them into my brain. My way of describing this learning method is "Welsh without Tears".
It might seem that finding a genre of music that you like most would be the best option, but this often doesn't lead to the best material for learning. It is better to look at the sort of characteristics of songs and singers that are likely to make learning easier if the maximum benefit is to be obtained.
Good Points for Learners
Clear Voice
Especially in the early stages it is far easier to pick out the words if the singer has a very clear voice which stands out above the backing music. Hence, a soloist with the backing of a fairly quiet instrument such as a guitar is ideal.
Not Too Fast
Slow ballads are far easier to follow than songs that are sung quickly, though as time progresses it is possible to move on to the more lively songs. This can then help in understanding the spoken language at normal speed.
Pauses and Repetition
Songs with pauses at fairly frequent intervals help the brain absorb what has just gone and prepare itself for what is coming next. When reading the text of the song and possibly looking at the translation as well, pauses give a chance to take everything in without losing track. Repetition in the form of choruses helps greatly in the learning process, and in the beginning provide a focus for something that can be quickly learned, leaving the other material to come later after several repeats of the song.
Same Regional Language
There are a number of different regional dialects in Wales with different pronunciation and some different vocabulary, so it helps is the singer and song are based on the same language variant that is being taught in lessons. However, as understanding of the language progresses, it can be beneficial to gain some familiarity with these regional variations.
Bad Points for Learners
Live Performances
Many live performances result in a poor balance between the singer and the music and/or the background noise. Acoustics in a venue may interfere with the clarity of the recording, whereas studio recordings tend to give a better balance of sound levels and a clearer rendition of the singer's voice.
More than One Singer
A solo voice is easier to understand than multiple voices and it is often very difficult to understand the words sung by choirs. However, duets can work well, especially if there are parts where the voices are alternated with the duet being confined to perhaps a chorus.
Loud Backing Music
This can make it difficult to pick out the singer's voice, even if it suites your musical taste.
Rapidly Sung Lyrics
This can make a song difficult to follow, especially when trying to read the lyrics at the same time as listening. Pauses between verses can help in catching up, but listening can become a strain. However, as learning progresses some lively lyrics can make songs more interesting and exciting and it can serve a useful purpose in practising comprehension at speed.
My Choice of Songs
Initially, I was totally ignorant of most artists performing in the Welsh language, apart from those who had made their name on the international stage. It was only by following up a few things mentioned in Hwb on S4C that I hit upon a lot of material posted on YouTube by various Welsh singers. Some of these YouTube videos have lyrics displayed in Welsh with an English translation as the song is being sung, and this makes for much easier understanding of the lyrics. At first I started typing out these lyrics in both languages to allow me to read them without the need for online access, but this was a slow and tedious process requiring constant pausing of the video and numerous typing errors, especially in the Welsh, although it did give me some additional practice with the language. After a while, I found that someone had started adding a copy of the lyrics to many of the songs under the 'SHOW MORE' tag further down the YouTube page, and this meant I could collate them far more easily.
Literal Translation - The translations into English are not always literal and often some licence has been used to convey the meaning rather than the exact words. In a few of the songs, notes have been added to help with the literal translation and also with some of the references within the songs.
Use of Accents - The Welsh lyrics vary in the extent to which accents are used on vowels, some versions taking the easier option of omitting them altogether and others including them some of the time only. This can occasionally lead to confusion over pronunciation and meaning.
Spelling Mistakes - These are discovered from time to time. Some of them I correct as I find them, though I am not always sure what is correct in Welsh so I am, therefore, reluctant to make changes unless I am certain. Sometimes these arise because of the differing pronunciation of words in different parts of Wales. For instance 'rhedeg' is pronounced as 'rhedag' in some areas, and may have this spelling. Please let me know of any that you come across so that I can correct them in the pdf documents. (I cannot correct any on the YouTube videos, of course!)
Familiar Form of Verbs - Most of the lyrics use the familiar ti form of verbs rather than the chi form that is used conversation with anyone other than close friends etc, so when trying to adapt a phrase from a song for your own use remember to change the form as necessary. However, there has been a trend in recent years to make things less formal so it does not usually give offence if the familiar form is used where the formal one would have been in the past.
Adverts on Videos - When this website was first set up there was very little advertising on the videos with limited viewings so nearly all of the songs I selected were advert free. Unfortunately, as described at the top of these Notes, things have changed a lot over the years with much more aggressive advertising at the present time.
Gwyneth Glyn - After following many of the links to similar songs and artists offered by YouTube, I hit upon one particular singer / songwriter whose material fulfilled most of the things that I was looking for - Gwyneth Glyn. She has a slow, clear voice generally accompanied by her guitar and originates from North Wales, which is the region that my Welsh course was aimed at. I also found that I liked the sound of her songs and her interesting play with words and ideas. Her songs are mainly ballads and folk songs, probably her most famous song being 'Adra' (Home), and I found that I soon started to understand and remember quite a lot of the lyrics, although some were beyond my level of Welsh at the time, which was still quite basic and mainly centred round the present tense. However, this didn't matter as I was still getting a benefit from it and gradually understanding more and more whilst enjoying the music at the same time. The same applied to many other of her songs, though some were more difficult to follow than others because of the wider vocabulary and more complex sentences. My favourite, however, was Dansin Bêr (Dancing Bear), though rather perversely the thing I liked most was the faster tempo and rapid lyrics in parts, which are more difficult to follow but make it more lively.
Dafydd Iwan - As well as being President of Plaid Cymru from 2003 to 2010, Dafydd Iwan is a very well known singer / songwriter and has written about 250 songs many of which related to the protest movement that was strong from the late 1960s onwards against English domination and for the rights of the Welsh language. In fact, before he came on the scene, there was little or no contemporary folk music in Welsh - it was all in English, and he was the first person to write and perform them in Welsh, leading the way for others to do the same. His songs are generally deeply patriotic and often cynical and satirical, but make for good and sometimes amusing listening. Again, they vary in their level of difficulty, but many have strong choruses which are oft repeated, which makes them easier to understand and remember. Unfortunately, only a limited number of these songs appear on YouTube together with lyrics, but I have collected all the ones that I could find.
Bryn Fon - Whilst investigating a wider range of songs, I came across several songs by Bryn Fon with lyrics either on the video of added under the [Show More] option. These all fulfil the requirements of clear words and interesting lyrics, so they were then added.
Meinir Gwilym - Somewhat later in my searches, I came across Meinir Gwilym, another singer / songwriter who is well-known in the Welsh speaking community, but little known elsewhere. I immediately took a liking to her work, which is varied with a mixture of ballads and pop, the latter often containing a lot of slang and 'Wenglish'. From the lyrics of her songs it sounds as if she has led a very colourful life - either that or she has a very vivid imagination! Some of her songs are fairly easy to understand, but many of them involve vocabulary that goes a long way beyond basic, so they are difficult for beginners to follow. Many songs have very fast lyrics that are not easy to keep up with, though they do make good listening for those who have progressed further down the learning road, or even for beginners who like the sound of her music without necessarily being able to understand all of it. Often, songs with difficult lyrics in the main verses have a chorus that is easier to follow, so it is still useful to listen and eventually the rest will fall into place.
Other Artists - There are many other artists who were worthy of inclusion, and I started to add some of these as time went on. With popular songs, I have tried to look for a version where the words are sung as clearly as possible without intrusive advertising, rather than the version by the most famous artists associated with the song. I welcome any suggestions of other songs to be added, particularly if they have lyrics displayed on the video which is the easiest way to view them.
Difficulty Level - I have tried to give a rough indication of the difficulty of each song by giving ratings from 1 to 5. The first column is for the speed at which the lyrics are sung, and the second column for complexity of the lyrics and the use of unusual words. These are obviously subjective and based on my own experience but help give a rough idea as to which ones are more suitable for beginners. However, this should not stop people from listening to the more difficult songs, as they often have easy choruses even if the verses are difficult.
No Lyrics on Video - A number of the Meinir Gwilym songs do not display lyrics on the YouTube video but do have the lyrics shown below the video under the 'SHOW MORE' link, so I have added these to the collection. There is also one Dafydd Iwan song and some of the songs by other artists in this category. To make these easier to follow, a link is provided to the lyrics so that they can be viewed whilst the video is playing on another page or tab. However, this depends on the browser and operating system in use, as some will only output sound from the current window. Hence, if the lyrics are showing on the foremost window, the song being played in a background window may be blocked out. In this case it is easier to print out the lyrics from the PDF files that can be downloaded and follow them from there.
Reasons for the Update - In October 2022, this website was updated to make it more user friendly on different platforms, particularly to make it easier to use on small screens in either Landscape or Portrait mode. One aspect of this is to allow the main text of the lyrics to be Small, Medium or Large by toggling the 'AAA' box at the top of each page. This is not included on the home page which consists mainly of links and headings with little general text. However, the layout and text size has been adjusted to better suit orientation of Landscape or Portrait.
Remembering which songs have been played - When going through the list of songs, it is often useful to know which have already been selected, especially if they are not played in order. To make this easier the border round each song title on the main page changes from yellow to grey once it has been selected. These will be remembered on the device that is in use, even after reloading the website. Buttons are provided to clear these either for just one artist or for the whole list to help keep track when repeat watching.
If you have any problems, comments os suggestions for improvements, please contact:
George Tod george@gtleisure.co.uk
Home (List of Songs) Learning Welsh