Vowel Sound / æ / as in "cat" - American English Pronunciation

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  • Опубліковано 7 лют 2025

КОМЕНТАРІ • 709

  • @SoundsAmerican
    @SoundsAmerican  2 роки тому +31

    🎉Great news!🎉 Our brand new Sounds American website is up and running!🚀🎊 There's lots of content on pronunciation.🤓You can start with the article about the /æ/ sound:
    soundsamerican.net/article/vowel_sound_ae_as_in_cat

  • @RICARDOMONTES12
    @RICARDOMONTES12 8 років тому +182

    This is by far one of the best videos about phonetics. Thank you so much.

  • @drayyoutube5843
    @drayyoutube5843 Рік тому +7

    Sometime at around 2020 when I was 14 or 15, I thought about how different vowel sounds are made and I thought of the vowel placement as a one dimensional thing with one criterion instead of two. I was younger and I didn’t study how phonetics really work yet until around the start of this year. I perceived the vowels as being produced with vibrating different parts of the throat because I thought I was feeling vibrations in different heights of the throat depending on the height and backness of my tongue, as I didn’t realize the tongue was the thing that creates all the vowels sounds. In 2022, I had my final thought that the height of vowels in the throat from top to bottom were /i/, /ɪ/, /ɛ/, /æ/, /ʊ/, /ʌ/, and /ɑ/, while all the other vowels consisted of one of the 7 vowels that I perceived as pure vowels with a /w/ or a /j/ at the end. I didn’t know the phonetic symbols until this year, but those were the symbol for the ones I was thinking of. It took a little bit this year for me to comprehend what it meant that the vowel placement is actually a two dimensional thing with two criteria and it’s based on the position of your tongue, not the place you vibrate your voice. So basically, the pure vowels that I recognized when I perceived the wrong criterion from top to bottom actually go high front, low front, high back, and finally low back.

    • @SoundsAmerican
      @SoundsAmerican  Рік тому +1

      👍 Acoustic analysis of vowel sounds is a very complex subject; here's an article you might find interesting: corpus.eduhk.hk/english_pronunciation/index.php/2-2-formants-of-vowels/

  • @Jesusjoy99
    @Jesusjoy99 7 років тому +15

    The best phonetics course I've found on the whole internet. Thanks for this. Cheers from Venezuela. :D

    • @SoundsAmerican
      @SoundsAmerican  7 років тому

      +Jesús Bassbreaker Thank you! 😄🖖

    • @Jesusjoy99
      @Jesusjoy99 7 років тому +1

      I'm still working in this sound. Gimme 3 days for more and I'll achieve it! ;)

    • @SoundsAmerican
      @SoundsAmerican  7 років тому

      +Jesús Bassbreaker , awesome! Keep us posted on how it goes! :)

    • @dienison4209
      @dienison4209 3 роки тому

      Do you have another good channel like this??

  • @raisa_heaven
    @raisa_heaven Рік тому +6

    This was the best explanation ever! It was so cool to finally hear myself saying it properly. Thank you for being so academic

  • @LJR.YouTube
    @LJR.YouTube Рік тому +5

    Thanks!
    My notes:
    1:00
    1:39

  • @TheSunshinefee
    @TheSunshinefee 7 років тому +4

    I am beyond words grateful for this video. What the hell did I learn in high-school. I want my money back. Finally, I am learning how to pronunciate this sound right. It helps me to open up more and talk more to other people. Thank you, much love to you and your team.

    • @SoundsAmerican
      @SoundsAmerican  7 років тому

      +TheSunshinefee, thank you for your kind words, we're glad this video is so helpful!

  • @carlacarolineofficial7657
    @carlacarolineofficial7657 4 роки тому +34

    Been studying English for long time, phonetics included, and this is by far one of the most difficult sounds for me. But I'm gonna get there :D

    • @shreddedwheats
      @shreddedwheats 2 роки тому +3

      I speak english, I always have, I’m just really bored.

  • @moralesjimenezfernandayatz1747

    Thank you vey much for this video. It was the only one that can help me.

  • @IannWu
    @IannWu 4 роки тому +10

    I love you guys videos! Very helpful with detailed diagram on the pronunciation mechanism. The bonus tongue twister at the end is also ingenious!!

  • @annjemah6064
    @annjemah6064 Рік тому +6

    Hi,
    I want to express my appreciation for your great work!
    It is always the little details that add on to cause you having an accent.
    Your videos are concise and hit the point, which help me better understand which sound I make mistakes.
    Thank You So Much!
    And I can't believe your lessons are free. Thank You So Much!

  • @sveta2071
    @sveta2071 4 роки тому +7

    Привет из России. Всегда, когда учу английский в транскрипции вижу эту гласную. У меня постоянно с ней были проблемы, но это видео мне помогло, спасибо))
    Hello from Russia. I always see this vowel in transcription when I learn English. I always had problems with it, but this video helped me, thank you)) ♥️

  • @gauravpandey1991
    @gauravpandey1991 2 роки тому

    I'm very glad that I found this channel ! I really want to improve my pronunciation, thank you soo much sir. I'm escatic! Yeah.

    • @SoundsAmerican
      @SoundsAmerican  2 роки тому +1

      Awesome! BTW, we also have a website with tons of info on pronunciation and exercises: soundsamerican.net/

  • @chungthiduyen721
    @chungthiduyen721 2 роки тому

    i'm from Vietnam. This video is very useful with me. Thank you so much

  • @taherelsayed1865
    @taherelsayed1865 Рік тому +1

    Thank you for the explanation, it was very good.

  • @EELLISON2012
    @EELLISON2012 4 роки тому

    The English language is very complicated. One would believe that it was constructed to keep outsiders out or so that they will immediate know who is a local and who is not. I have noticed that your method allows improvement on other various pronunciation of short a. I mean other instructors pronounce it a little different than you, but still similar. You allow me to calibrate my short a sound. I thank you for it. Other instructors on UA-cam say to keep the back of the tongue up and the front touches the front teeth. However, I have found more success with your method. Some short A sounds in speakers are more tense than others I noticed.

    • @SoundsAmerican
      @SoundsAmerican  4 роки тому

      Glad that our video was helpful! One important note: there's no "short a" sound in American English. The thing is, any vowel sound can be long or short depending on the following consonant. We talk about this in detail in one of our videos: ua-cam.com/video/GQa9w__GqLc/v-deo.html

    • @EELLISON2012
      @EELLISON2012 4 роки тому

      @@SoundsAmerican You are telling that vowel lengthen before voiced consonant and vowel sounds, and shorten before non-voiced. I am sure that there is some variation in there.

  • @heldamargaritagarciaoliver1646

    Muy buenas noches ,hace poco inicie a practicar ,me gusta porque estoy aprendiendo la pronunciación,mis nietos me animaron a estudiar, ,ellos también,practican el ingles,me gusta no es aburrido ,los felicito

    • @SoundsAmerican
      @SoundsAmerican  Рік тому

      Thanks and best of luck with your practice! 🤝

  • @nawastar
    @nawastar Рік тому +1

    Thanks so much

  • @werr-n9o
    @werr-n9o Рік тому +1

    I love the teaching

  • @ernestorevollar3632
    @ernestorevollar3632 Рік тому +2

    English phonology is very rich and unique, and the /æ/ vowel sound does not exist in any other language. That's why it can be difficult to produce it correctly by moving my jaw, lips and tongue forcefully. English is not my native language and some pronunciation mistakes and obstacles come out, but that doesn't discourage me, I don't really pretend to sound like a native speaker and I'll continue to enjoy and improve my English skills so regularly. Thank you so much for your valuable pronunciation tips. ❤😊

    • @RodriM93
      @RodriM93 11 місяців тому +1

      It also exists in Afrikaans, Arabic and much more languages. English isn't the only language including the /æ/ sound.

  • @edgarribeirodossantos9019
    @edgarribeirodossantos9019 3 роки тому

    WOW! Amazing job 👏👏👏👏👏👐👐...impeccable

  • @Sy-xh1gu
    @Sy-xh1gu 3 роки тому +1

    Best videos about phonetics!!!

  • @ossamaalbitar9559
    @ossamaalbitar9559 3 роки тому +1

    Thanks alot!

  • @will4934
    @will4934 4 роки тому +1

    Thanks a bunch

  • @ZONKAMANIA
    @ZONKAMANIA 7 років тому +6

    These are PRICELESS! I will post everyone of these to my ESL page on Facebook and share with my students! Great work! I try so hard to get good pronunciation out of my students, but there's only so much time in a class... Thank you for your excellent work!

    • @SoundsAmerican
      @SoundsAmerican  7 років тому +1

      +Eric Kephart , thank you very much Eric! Glad to hear our videos can help. We want our videos to be resourceful and useful for teachers, so if you have any ideas for other topics, let us know! We welcome suggestions :).

    • @ZONKAMANIA
      @ZONKAMANIA 7 років тому +1

      No, thank you! As I said, you're videos are priceless, an absolute invaluable resource for teachers and students! IF I have some ideas, I'd be sure to send them your way! I'm in Mexico, so pronunciation issues (from Spanish to English) have their own set of problems, like V, TH, R, Y, etc...

    • @ZONKAMANIA
      @ZONKAMANIA 7 років тому +2

      And I'm editing my first comment, because I'm ashamed to say that, well not really ashamed, to say that my English is, how do I say, arrrghhhh! I speak Spanish here in Mexico (in and mostly outside of the classroom), as I have studied it for many years, and I have found myself making silly grammatical and spelling mistakes in English, it happens...weird, but it does, even for English teachers...when your mind is activated using another language funny things start to happen...

    • @SoundsAmerican
      @SoundsAmerican  7 років тому

      +Eric Kephart 😉🖖

    • @SoundsAmerican
      @SoundsAmerican  7 років тому

      +Eric Kephart As they say, it happens to the best of us! 👋

  • @TrangTran-pj7eb
    @TrangTran-pj7eb 6 місяців тому

    I like this it very easy understands ❤

  • @soldishero_y
    @soldishero_y 2 роки тому +1

    great lesson. thank you

  • @PabloRodriguez-de2hu
    @PabloRodriguez-de2hu 2 роки тому +1

    Useful!

  • @cakurodiaz5843
    @cakurodiaz5843 3 роки тому

    Thank you teacher

  • @sarinproduction1651
    @sarinproduction1651 3 роки тому +1

    Wow thanks respected sir

  • @jacksonamaral329
    @jacksonamaral329 2 роки тому +1

    pretty good. i enjoy your pronunciation videos.

  • @benzianabdou3740
    @benzianabdou3740 3 роки тому

    Thank you so much 💓💗

  • @jcmartinez4490
    @jcmartinez4490 4 роки тому +3

    Thank,now i know the sounds æ

  • @marcod5004
    @marcod5004 3 роки тому +2

    El mejor canal que he visto sobre como articular los sonidos del inglés americano, además me gustó que utilice los símbolos del IPA para que así sea fácil saber la pronunciación que vienen en los diccionarios

  • @sangsangnguyen365
    @sangsangnguyen365 3 роки тому

    Very nice 👍

  • @mariagarcia-xg7jw
    @mariagarcia-xg7jw 2 роки тому +1

    muchas gracias

  • @bipulm4h
    @bipulm4h 8 років тому +9

    Thanks for your amazing explanation. I get to get rid of my dilemmas because of people like you. Carry on, we're with you. Hope you'll be with us for a long time and we'll be able to know about what confuses us. I'd be grateful if you made videos about nasalized flap(I severely have doubts weather I should pronounce a true t or nasalized flap or no t in words like ninety, integration, Internet, doesn't ) yod dropping, weak vowel merger(another dilemma, reduced short i or schwa? ), Yod-coalescence.

    • @SoundsAmerican
      @SoundsAmerican  8 років тому +5

      Hello there, Mehedi Hasan! Thank you for your kind words! Thank you for your great suggestions too! We'll add them to our plan for future videos. Stay tuned! :)

    • @bipulm4h
      @bipulm4h 8 років тому +1

      Keep uploading. I'm looking forward to it. :)

    • @jemojica1735
      @jemojica1735 8 років тому

      Mehedi Hasan Bipul yeah nice suggestion . this is also my dilemma, nasazilation and schwa

  • @maheshnaeenikumar8046
    @maheshnaeenikumar8046 3 роки тому

    Thankyou 👍

  • @ThủyNguyễn-g3i8f
    @ThủyNguyễn-g3i8f Годину тому

    What is the website which you use to practice pronunciation's vocabulary, please

  • @arrapaty
    @arrapaty 7 років тому +5

    Thank you.
    Finally I understood this sound

    • @SoundsAmerican
      @SoundsAmerican  7 років тому +1

      +MAGM , you're welcome! Happy to hear that!

  • @vaclavtravnicek6015
    @vaclavtravnicek6015 4 роки тому

    Awesome video !

  • @holahola9059
    @holahola9059 2 роки тому +1

    Uff! This sound is super challenging!

    • @SoundsAmerican
      @SoundsAmerican  2 роки тому +1

      It will get better with practice, promise! Let us know if you have any questions.

  • @alovygir9348
    @alovygir9348 4 роки тому

    Wow i appreciate ur channel because it's benefit 🙂

    • @SoundsAmerican
      @SoundsAmerican  4 роки тому +1

      Thank you! Glad that our channel is helpful!👋

  • @edgarvalenciaagudelo6049
    @edgarvalenciaagudelo6049 3 роки тому

    Excellent. Thank you

  • @aniroulhaj3437
    @aniroulhaj3437 3 роки тому +1

    Thanks

  • @tobiasariastoya1485
    @tobiasariastoya1485 Рік тому +1

    Very good video, with the æ it is also pronounced was?

    • @SoundsAmerican
      @SoundsAmerican  Рік тому +1

      Nope, "A" in "was" represents a different sound: /wʌz/ ua-cam.com/video/X1utTZqC3AI/v-deo.html

  • @landofburger9601
    @landofburger9601 3 роки тому

    Wow great help.. incredible

  • @erasmobarahona9718
    @erasmobarahona9718 7 років тому +6

    Wow, I really love this!

    • @SoundsAmerican
      @SoundsAmerican  7 років тому

      +Erasmo Barahona Glad to hear it! 😁👋

  • @thefriendlyaspie7984
    @thefriendlyaspie7984 2 роки тому

    this is awesome :) thanks for sharing. hugs

  • @lordronn472
    @lordronn472 2 роки тому

    I have been practicing this sooo long and now I am making some progress

  • @anyan8444
    @anyan8444 2 роки тому

    The video is very useful 👌

  • @phuongthaotran8814
    @phuongthaotran8814 3 роки тому +1

    uuu i love that

  • @ubaidrehman2024
    @ubaidrehman2024 6 років тому

    very nice, best way to learn. thanks

    • @SoundsAmerican
      @SoundsAmerican  6 років тому

      +Ubaid Rehman Glad you like it! You're welcome!

  • @jagadishnshiddappanavarshi5343
    @jagadishnshiddappanavarshi5343 5 років тому +1

    Superb and interesting

    • @SoundsAmerican
      @SoundsAmerican  5 років тому

      +Jagadish Shiddappanavar Glad you liked it! 👋

  • @Robson89almeida
    @Robson89almeida 4 роки тому

    I really love your channel!!!

  • @ramzy-6566
    @ramzy-6566 4 роки тому

    great video.

  • @neo8494
    @neo8494 2 роки тому +1

    Thank you for making this amazing video!

  • @flawyerlawyertv7454
    @flawyerlawyertv7454 4 роки тому +1

    Great 👏👏👏👍👍👍

  • @TheSunshinefee
    @TheSunshinefee 3 роки тому

    thank you so much. i never got this sound right and you taught me how to do it right

  • @mepublic2
    @mepublic2 6 місяців тому

    @SoundsAmerican when you say "you're on the air" , is it true? Are we recorded?

  • @safwamari5190
    @safwamari5190 6 років тому

    thanks very much😃

    • @SoundsAmerican
      @SoundsAmerican  6 років тому

      + amar hadouelhadj You're welcome!😊👋

  • @isabelangelica8658
    @isabelangelica8658 7 років тому +6

    VERY VERY THANKS SO MUCH

    • @SoundsAmerican
      @SoundsAmerican  7 років тому +1

      +ISABEL ANGELICA you're very welcome! Glad you liked this video 😊.

  • @dailylyricshub
    @dailylyricshub 4 роки тому +1

    Good 👍

  • @lakshmikundu3726
    @lakshmikundu3726 7 років тому +1

    Very very very nice.

    • @SoundsAmerican
      @SoundsAmerican  7 років тому

      +Lakshmi Kundu, glad you liked it! 😀👋

  • @marcoantoniomoralescruz2645
    @marcoantoniomoralescruz2645 3 роки тому

    A difficult and challeging sound. Thanks for the practice and explanation.

  • @cavinnn
    @cavinnn 4 роки тому +16

    I am a native speaker from SE USA but my accent has "neutralized" (whatever that means) since i moved abroad to teach English. Still, both from hear your own speech, observing others', and analyzing my own, the vowels that you mark as /æ/ that come before nasal sounds are distinctly different. It sounds a lot more like either /eə/ or /ɛə/. If I intentionally make the /æ/ sound in any case before a nasal consonant, it isn't the same sound and sounds like some people from the NE of the USA and some other regions. My French student even noticed how different the vowel you were saying was to the one presented.
    Can you clarify this please? Thank you :)

    • @SoundsAmerican
      @SoundsAmerican  4 роки тому +11

      Hello there! First of all, you're right, the /æ/ sound may sound slightly different when it occurs before a nasal consonant. This is called "nasalization" of a vowel sound. When a vowel precedes a nasal consonant (like the /n/ or /ŋ/ ), it's affected by this consonant and is pronounced with a slightly lowered velum (the soft palate). However, phonemically, the /æ/ is still the same sound, just slightly nasalized, if that makes sense. :)
      By the way, kudos to your French student, they have a great ear.
      Hope it helps!

    • @freeae9170
      @freeae9170 3 роки тому +2

      @rachelsenglish explains it in her video for short a :)

    • @NatureForever8
      @NatureForever8 2 роки тому

      thank you!! now i know that i am not crazy

  • @Mia-de8xf
    @Mia-de8xf 4 роки тому

    You get a new subscriber. Great video. :3

  • @rodrigoadrianrodriguezaedo4477
    @rodrigoadrianrodriguezaedo4477 5 років тому +2

    Thank you very much, I had problems with that sound

  • @linhnganguyen4316
    @linhnganguyen4316 4 роки тому

    Thank you so much!!!!

  • @flawyerlawyertv7454
    @flawyerlawyertv7454 4 роки тому +1

    Happy New month

  • @DjAngelloFerreira
    @DjAngelloFerreira 8 років тому +11

    Hello there friend. My name is Angello. I have a question for you. Any phonetics book that you recommend me about American English pronunciation? Excellent job! I love your UA-cam channel. It's very precise.

    • @SoundsAmerican
      @SoundsAmerican  8 років тому +4

      Hello there, Angello! Thank you!
      About a book on phonetics: the choice would really depend on what you’re looking for.
      There’re a lot of “fundamental” books on American phonetics, they are more useful for speech therapists or teachers.
      Here’s a good book for people who want to reduce their accent. It's comprehensive and useful, with lots of practical exercises: goo.gl/JQeb0m
      Hope it helps!
      Stay tuned for new videos! :)

  • @Luxury_vagabond
    @Luxury_vagabond 5 років тому +1

    thanks

  • @tuiratdecha5185
    @tuiratdecha5185 6 років тому +1

    Thank you!

  • @atphannguyen12
    @atphannguyen12 10 місяців тому

    nice, thanks

  • @abdallamohamed8179
    @abdallamohamed8179 3 роки тому

    thanks a lot

  • @gomezmagno
    @gomezmagno 7 років тому +277

    Couldn't they have only 5 vowels :( What a way to complicate life.

    • @SoundsAmerican
      @SoundsAmerican  7 років тому +47

      +Magno Gómez , we know, right! It's such a long story :).😕

    • @rodrigoadrianrodriguezaedo4477
      @rodrigoadrianrodriguezaedo4477 5 років тому +14

      @@SoundsAmerican The Great Vowel Shift

    • @masterxmasterx7197
      @masterxmasterx7197 5 років тому +10

      we are complicated beings with complicated intelligence, if you're otherwise then you must be a defective human being

    • @MauricioRomanov
      @MauricioRomanov 5 років тому +10

      @@masterxmasterx7197 But we create things to simplify our lives, otherwise Latin wouldn't be dead as it is today.

    • @ajejebrazorf3351
      @ajejebrazorf3351 4 роки тому +1

      Imagine when you talk to almost deaf people like grandparents 👴 👵 . in the Italian language we only have 5 vowels 🤩

  • @artwatch-y9j
    @artwatch-y9j 5 років тому

    Thank you very much 💕

  • @marcusjuansoberano-mcdonie8299
    @marcusjuansoberano-mcdonie8299 6 років тому +1

    thank you very much . it is useful to my education

  • @samuelrocha4131
    @samuelrocha4131 3 роки тому +1

    Great!

  • @jacquelinevilla2684
    @jacquelinevilla2684 4 роки тому +1

    Thanks finally I found you.

  • @heisonmoreno9837
    @heisonmoreno9837 3 роки тому

    I love this Channel. Where is the app? ❤️

  • @isaacl.eguizabal636
    @isaacl.eguizabal636 6 років тому

    This video was very helpful. I enjoyed it.

    • @SoundsAmerican
      @SoundsAmerican  6 років тому

      +Isaac Eguizabal Glad to hear that! 😊👋

  • @maximiliano7735
    @maximiliano7735 7 років тому +68

    Sometimes it seems like you are making the sound like "a" sound and sometimes more like an "e" sound,I notice a slight difference each time

    • @SoundsAmerican
      @SoundsAmerican  7 років тому +3

      +Juan , could you please give examples of those words?

    • @valentinapineda9417
      @valentinapineda9417 6 років тому +37

      For example in the words cat, abstract, act, add it sounds like an "a" but in words like and, an, ankle it sounds quite different and it is like and "e"

    • @apricottorange
      @apricottorange 6 років тому +14

      Valentina Pineda i HAVE TO AGREE

    • @gnapointblank4855
      @gnapointblank4855 6 років тому +7

      @@valentinapineda9417 I think that's because after the letter A comes an N

    • @jomimudi
      @jomimudi 6 років тому

      Estoy de acuerdo.

  • @arlisonmao
    @arlisonmao 8 років тому +1

    Very good!

  • @pokemonhunter8418
    @pokemonhunter8418 3 роки тому

    You're an angel to me

  • @luceromilagrostorres2513
    @luceromilagrostorres2513 3 роки тому

    LOVE IT!!! pretty accurate!! thank you! im gonna watch all your videos!

  • @drimeloca
    @drimeloca 4 роки тому +3

    Loved this! Thanks a lot for posting it!

  • @jemojica1735
    @jemojica1735 8 років тому +1

    this videos are very helpful, very detail.. thank you. pls continue to make.videos that will help us lo learn english

    • @SoundsAmerican
      @SoundsAmerican  8 років тому

      +je mojica , thank you! We're glad you like them!

  • @imtiyazhusen5576
    @imtiyazhusen5576 3 роки тому

    Great explanation regarding ae sound. Thanks:)

  • @svetlanalitvinova3522
    @svetlanalitvinova3522 8 років тому +1

    Very useful thank you

  • @cledimariadeoliveira2112
    @cledimariadeoliveira2112 8 років тому +1

    Very well this channel. thanks. I love it.

  • @luiscerda4031
    @luiscerda4031 10 місяців тому +1

    The ae sounds seems to have 2 way of pronunciation i noticed the 1st way you pronounced like A sound but when ae follow letter n, nt, m it's sounds like an ea sound more like an E sound.

  • @natischavez7951
    @natischavez7951 6 років тому +1

    Los felicito por este gran trabajo que hicieron.... me encanta la pagina.... tienen APP? me encantaria

  • @osamashaaban9748
    @osamashaaban9748 Рік тому

    Thanks a lot 👍!01.06.23

  • @FatımaÖztürk-p9u
    @FatımaÖztürk-p9u 9 місяців тому

    How can I found that website in the video?

  • @espaciojonatantolosa
    @espaciojonatantolosa 3 роки тому

    Wow! This is truly usefull. Thanks a lot!

  • @jorgelinagomez7009
    @jorgelinagomez7009 6 років тому

    Thank you, it was very useful 👍😀

  • @victorco.6308
    @victorco.6308 7 років тому

    very helpful. thanks

  • @thegioiaion2646
    @thegioiaion2646 3 місяці тому

    So you pronounce this vowel with tense lips or relaxed ones?

  • @jamesbros4667
    @jamesbros4667 2 роки тому

    Thank You very much for these videos, How can I get that app please?

    • @SoundsAmerican
      @SoundsAmerican  2 роки тому +1

      We're using our own app, but we haven't released it to the public yet. We're planning to do it very soon and we'll announce the release on this channel. Stay tuned!