Practising music in two different shrutis

Ideas and innovations in Indian classical music
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HarishankarK
Posts: 2216
Joined: 27 Oct 2007, 11:55

Practising music in two different shrutis

Post by HarishankarK »

Namastey Rasikas,

I started learning Carnatic music around mid 2014 and learn't from a Vidvan for about 8 months. I have a medium pitch voice (very slightly feminine especially when I am singing but not when I am talking normally). My shruti was 2.5 when I was learning in 2014 and my age is 35.

Now I have resumed learning Carnatic music since the past three weeks and in my batch there are two other gents- both of them have been learning in shruti 1 with this teacher for the past 1 year. Initially we all started learning at shruti 1.5 but in yesterday's class the other two persons said that 1.5 is too high for them and they are unable to sing comfortably. So the teacher (he is around mid seventies, so shruti 1 is comfortable for him too) suggested that we all sing in 1. I mentioned that for my voice at 1 shruti, I will struggle in the lower octaves. But the teacher just said go on, I think you can sing in 1. It will be alright with practise.

Honestly, now I'm a bit depressed :cry: because I usually have a bright voice (ghaneer) and with shrutis 1.5 and 1 my voice has really mellowed down (very soft). I have always felt that if I practise in shruti 2 or 2.5, I am more comfortable to sing later at a lower shruti. My wife suggested that I also practise in shruti 2 or 2.5 along with shruti 1 as a solution to my predicament !
Is it alright to sing in 1 shruti in the class and practise in 1 shruti at home and then also practise the same varnams/keerthanas in say maybe 2 shruti at home so that I can keep practising at high shruti also? Will that harm my voice in any way? Or will that create any confusion etc.,?

Thankful to anyone who can help me answer my question, :(
Harish

VK RAMAN
Posts: 5009
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 00:29

Re: Practising music in two different shrutis

Post by VK RAMAN »

Ask your teacher if he/she can teach you in your comfortable sruti?

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