Varnam in Tisra

[sekhart]

Hi All,

May I request you please, to help me practice varnam in Tisram? Most of the books are suggesting that it is 3 swaras per beat. I have written the adi tala beats ( 8 beats) below. Now, can someone (sorry for asking like this), please help me, how to sing, for example, Jalajaaksha (Hamsadhwani) Varnam in Tisram? Just the first line will do and then I can write it for the other lines in the varnam. The first line in Jalajaaksha goes like this:
ga. ri. sa... nisarigaririsani

So, how do I arrange "ga. ri. sa... nisarigaririsani" under the following Adi-tala in TISRAM?

Debba 1stFinger 2nd Finger 3rd Finger Debba Usi Debba Usi
====== ======= ======== ======= ===== === ==== ===


Thank you All.
Namastay

Regards,
Sekhar

[arunk]

Not sure if this is what you ask. But I *think* (not 100% sure), you put talam normally (rather than like Adi-tala tisram) but instead fit only 3 swaras per count. Thus if switching to tisram, after singing catusram-2nd speed, your "tempo" would feel reduced:



(widen your browser window if image gets chopped)

Arun

[msakella]

Dear brother-member, sekhart, As the Varnas are originally composed @ 4-notes per each Kriya it becomes the first-degree of speed in respect of all these Varnas. That is why they should not be sung @ 3-notes per each Kriya but be sung @ 6-notes per each Kriya which is called Divya-sankeerna-gati (which is just double of Trisram).

For an easy understanding, while singing any Varna in Divya-sankeerna-gati (second-degree of Trisram), get the total number of Avartas of the Purvanga (Pallavi, Anupallavi and Muktayiswara) and if this number is of multiples of 3 i.e., 3 or 6 or 9 or 12 and so on, you can straight away start with and without repeating any of those Avartas you can automatically conclude it without any problem. But, if it is other than that you must arrive at one of these multiples of 3 by repeating one or two Avartas of them. For example, if the total number of Avartas of the Purvanga of the Varna is 6 you can straight away start with and conclude without repeating any of those Avartas. But, for example, if it is seven, to arrive at the next higher multiple 9, you have to repeat two of those Avartas or if it is eight you have to repeat only one of those Avartas.

Even while singing the Uttaranga (Charana and the Ettugadaswaras) you must again arrive at 3 or its multiples while singing each Ettugadaswara along with the Charana every time. For example, if the Ettugadaswara is of only one Avarta, to arrive at the total of 3, you have to sing the Charana twice and the Ettugadaswara only once (2+1=3), if the Ettugadaswara is of 2 Avartas you can directly sing the Charana once and Charana also once (1+2=3), if the Ettugadaswara is of 3 Avartas (like in the case of Kalyani-varna), to arrive at the next higher multiple of 3 which is 6, you have to sing the Charana thrice and the Ettugadaswara only once (3+3=6) and if the Ettugadaswara is of 4 Avartas, to arrive at 6, you have to sing the Charana twice and the Ettugadaswara only once (2+4=6). It is always better to write down everything and follow it not only to understand it properly but also to get success.

For example, I have furnished the details of Natakuranji-varna which could be sung @ 4-6-8 in the Addendum (English) or Anubandham (Telugu) of the pdf files of my CD, AMS Easy Mehods-2007 which could be obtained from http://www.sangeethamshare.org/chandra/ ... hods-2007/. amsharma

[msakella]

In fact I have also sung the Natakuranji-Adi-Varna and uploaded to the playlist, ‘AMS Natakuranji-Adi-Varna @ 4, 6 & 8-notes per Kriya’ of Youtube for the benefit of the aspirants (refer 337th post of the sub-thread ‘AMS Easy Methods-2007 in teaching and learning music“ under the main thread ‘Music School’) The respective URLs are also furnished hereunder for your guidance. amsharma

Natakuranji-Adi-Varna-Purvanga: http://youtu.be/6pa2i8TjaLQ
Natakuranji-Adi-Varna-Uttaranga: http://youtu.be/AV3Pr1TzQJA

[sekhart]

Respected Guruvu garu (Sarma garu),

Thank you so much for explaining it so well. Now, I understood that I have to sing 6 swaras per Kriya. The other thing that I never understood is, when singing Varnams, all teachers ask students to repeat each DEBBA twice while playing the Adi tala.
For example, Adi tala is:
DEBBA 3 fingers DEBBA USI DEBBA USI..

But, when singing Varnams, teachers request me to put Adi tala like this:
DEBBA (2 times) FIRST FINGER (2 times) SECOND FINGER (2 TIMES) THIRD FINGER (2 times) DEBBA (2 TIMES) USI (2 TIMES) DEBBA (2 TIMES) USI (2 TIMES).
Q1) I dont know why we should play like this. Can u please help me understand?
Q2) If, it is suggested we play the Adi tala like this, then, when singing Divya-sankeerna-gati, are we supposed to sing 6 swaras for 2 DEBBAS, or, should I sing 12 swaras, for 2 DEBBAS?

Thank you once again. Sri Gurubhyo namaha.

Sincerely,
Sekhar

[msakella]

Dear brother-member, sekhart, In fact, we are supposed to render each Kriya (action) only once irrespective of the notes running in each Kriya. But, as we may not be able to maintain perfect rhythm so efficiently due to so many reasons, our teachers tell us to render in-between beats also to all these Kriyas to make it easily followable.

By your letter in another post, enquiring for my books, I understood that you are a resident of my place only. So, if you have any doubt in this respect you are welcome to contact me at your convenience to get it cleared. amsharma.

[sekhart]

Dear sir, am in chennai. Can u pls let me knw how I contact u. Thank u sir.

[msakella]

You can contact to my phone numbers 040-27054232 or M-9908822992 and speak to me. amsharma

[sekhart]

Respected sir,
Can we use ur suggestion of 6 swaras per kriya in tisra gati for ata tala varnams also? Thank u.

Sincerely
Sekhar

[msakella]

Certainly, why not? An efficient and honest teacher always initiates his student render any Varna in full in two speeds in all the Gatis, Trisra, Chaturashra, Khanda, Mishra which are indivisible (Sankeerna is divisible by Trisra) in the process of shaping him/her independent in all respects. If not, he is not an efficient and honest teacher at all. amsharma

[sekhart]

Respected Sir,

Im trying to write Aarabhi Varnam (adi talam) in Tisram. I wrote Pallavi and Anupallavi correctly (6 notes per kriya). But, when I divide Muktaaayi swaram into Tisram, am left with 8 notes (which is MGRS,DSR) and 3 Kriyas left. So, in effect, I should sing another 18 notes (because there are 3 kriyas left). So, this is what am going to do:
1. Count 10 notes before "MGRS,DSR"
2. Add MGRS,DSR

which will be:
(,Mpds,ddp,) + (mgrs,dsr)

which can now be sung as
1 2 3 4 5 6
, M P D S ,
D D P , M G
R S , D S R

Is my understanding correct sir?

Thank you
Sekhar

[msakella]

Dear brother-member, sekhart, I have very clearly explained in which way you have to sing the Varna in Trisra-gati. You have to follow it very strictly. In Arabhi-Adi-Varna the Pallavi is of 2 Avartas, the Anupallavi is of 4 Avartas and the Muktayi-svara is of 4 Avartas arriving at a total of 2+4+4=10. In such case to arrive at the nearest higher multiple of 3 which is 12 you have to add 2 more Avartas to arrive at 12. It is better to repeat the Pallavi twice to arrive at 12 Avartas. Even while writing you have to follow this very strictly. amsharma

[sekhart]

Guruvugaru,
Thank u for correcting me. So, is it a convention that pallavi is repeated? Or, is it because pallavi has the lowest number of aavarthas? I apologize to u for asking so many questions on the same topic. Pls forgive my ignorance. Thank u.

Sincerely
Sekhar

[msakella]

Dear brother-member, sekhart, Like for all other subjects there is a specific method even for teaching music right from the first day of teaching and learning. But, most unfortunately, each and everybody who learns music always expects only to become the best singer. But, due to so many other reasons, cannot become like that but ultimately settles as a teacher even though he/she doesn’t know even abcds of teaching either. Thus, every such teacher starts singing himself and asks the aspirant follow him singing but thinking that he/she is very efficiently teaching the aspirant. Since many centuries this has been happening even without noticing it. In the same manner I too also taught my students for 40 years and then only I realized that I was not teaching them properly but been producing only impotents. Later, I have sincerely prayed the Almighty to save me and make me loyal to my teaching profession. EVERYTHING HE DID.

In the same manner, right from the beginning, had your teacher initiated you to do things on your own in learning music, you would not have asked all these questions but could have efficiently sung what you require on your own. As this did not happen you are questioning me. It is far easier to explain you than answering such questions. So, I would suggest you to come to me to clear off your doubts. amsharma

[mridangamkid]

Very good topic and interesting discussion

msakella sir, Thank you for the video demonstration.

One other thing that I think would be a good exercise which I have heard particularly Mali sir/ Ramani sir play is going in and out of Chathusram and thisram within the same line. The varnam I heard it in was Mohanam though I'm sure it would work for any Adi thalam varnam (including Hamsadhwani). Of course this is simply good for practicing thalam but one should do this only when he/she is fully comfortable with thisram but I would think it's a good exercise. My formatting may not be correct so please excuse that.

If we are keeping thalam in 2 kali with 4 aksharas per beat, then the first 8 beats (or 16 aksharas) would be keer kalam (sp?) chathusram, thus G , G , R , , , would all be on the beat. Then starting on the second finger, you move to keer kalam thisram (3 aksharas per beet) for 8 beats (thus 24 aksharas). This would like like:

S , S , R , R , G , G , R , R , S , R , G , R, where the bolded Sa is on the beat at the second finger, bolded R is on the third finger, the next bolded R is on the clap (first dhrithum) and last bolded R is on the palm up (last half of the dhrithum). The rest of the notes will not be on beat.

Then next part would then be played in melkala (sp?) thisram, 6 beats aksharas per beat, starting from the second dhrithum back to samam. It would then be:

S , R , S , D , S , R , G , P , G , R , S , R

Thus, this would be 4 beats with 6 aksharas per beat thus 24 total.

So we would then have 4 beats with 4 aksharas per beat = 16
8 beats with 3 aksharas per beat = 24
4 beats with 6 aksharas per beat = 24

24 + 24 + 16 = 64

You can continue on and finish the entire varnam this way.

I personally like to think of it as chathusram having 2 aksharas per beat, keer kalam thisram having 1.5 (or 3 aksharas every 2 beat)and mel kalam having 3/ beat, but I'm not sure if that would confuse every more than how confusing this already is!

The thing is, much like doing other varnams in more conventional thisram, you have to look at it as singing/playing phrases of four 3 times, (thakadhina thakadhina thakadhina) rather than phrases of 3 four times (thakita thakita thakita thakita), thus not every not will be on beat.

To answer your question about if they can do it in Ata thalam varnams, much like mskella sir said, of course you can. There's an INCREDIBLE concert of TR Mahalingam (as you can see I"m a big fan of him) where he starts off with Kamboji varnam. During the charnam goes back and forth into chathusram and thisram. I'll try to dig it up and post it hear but this keeping thalam for that is an exercise in itself. I think you really know if you can keep perfect thalam if you can keep thalam for that charanam.


This ended up being much longer than expected but if you have any questions (I know it may be a bit confusing to read, it's easier to show) let me know. I think it's a great exercise because you can practice it for virtually any Adi Thalam varnam (I would think).

[msakella]

Dear brother-member, mridamgamkid,

In our music, while Shruti is of Rakthi the Laya is of Shakthi and the Shakthi is the vehicle to move on. Unless the vehicle is in proper condition we cannot proceed further. More over, while furnishing four Gatis, Trisra (3), Chaturashra (4), Khanda (5), Mishra (7) and Sankeerna (9), while only one, Chaturashra is of even-number four, Tisra, Khanda, Mishra and Sankeerna are of odd-number. Thus, our ancestors have already indicated the four-time importance of the odd-gati. But, all our so called Gurus, are always used to start with Saralee-swaras without stabilizing our rhythmical abilities. This is the fundamental blunder of the traditional quantitative system of teaching/learning music which none of the music-teachers ever realize. Unless the rhythmical abilities of the aspirant are properly stabilized by initiating him/her in getting acquaintance both with even and odd-gatis the aspirant cannot proceed on the vehicle which have two wheels, even and odd-gatis. Having some acquaintance with Mridangam in my younger-days and having properly reaslised this importance of the stabilization of the rhythmical abilities both with even and odd-gatis I have brought out 28 Special-Laya-exercises (refer the 287th post of the sub-thread ‘AMS EASY METHODS 2007 CD - TEACHING & LEARNING METHODS’ of the main-thread Music School and the 66 videos of AMS Special Laya exercises of ‘youtube.com.useer/msakella’). This is for your kind information. amsharma