Quote Originally Posted by Darobat
Actually, it isn't like an English H. Let me quote what I wrote in another thread.

HOW TO PROPERLY PRONOUNCE THE RUSSIAN Х
1) Place the back of your tongue like you were going to say an English "k", but don't.
2) Say the "k", but don't move your mouth after saying, and keep pushing air through the opening. You should hear a sound that sounds something like static.
3) Now repeat, except do not make the "k" sound before the proper sound..

This is known as a voiceless velar fricative.
I'm sorry, but when I try to do this when pronouncing an actual word (I'm going from x to a, like in the plo-'ha), I get a wet sort of rippled/trilled noise. It's a bit throaty. I don't hear that in the sound clip. Is it possible that anyone can diagnose me? (Am I doing something wrong? Do you know what it is? Is this a natural result of the transition to a? Is it acceptable? etc.)