AMS Easy Methods 2007 CD - Teaching and Learning Methods

To teach and learn Indian classical music
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msakella
Posts: 2127
Joined: 30 Sep 2006, 21:16

Re: AMS Easy Methods 2007 CD - Teaching and Learning Methods

Post by msakella »

IMPORTANT FACTS:

-----In general, after heavy hard work only an intelligent individual gradually develops as a maestro or legend or expert in music. More over, as he/she always aspires only to perform well he/she always develops the performer’s perspective only. By all, after becoming a maestro, to always remain in the lime-light of the music-field, strives hard to regularly practice heavily and perform exceedingly well. In this process he/she will become exceedingly busy both with the regular practice and concerts. At the same time, many aspirants prefer to learn music from this maestro as no common man make a difference between a successful performer or a successful teacher.

Thus, a number of aspirants flock together to learn music from this maestro. As this maestro also needs to make money even in his/her lean time through teaching music to the aspirants all these maestros unanimously formulated an effective double-edged system which facilitates for their regular practice and concerts on one side and always keeps the aspirants also dependents upon them perennially. Besides, not to exert themselves in writing all the compositions in the the laborious notation on one side and also to keep the aspirants away from the knowledge of notation on the other they have totally prohibited writing the items or compositions or Swarakalpana or Ragalapana in notation. With this ulterior motive only none of these performer-teachers did ever follow or develop the very highly useful symbolized notation even though Subbarama Dikshitar, long back even in 1900, had brought out his monumental work Sangita Sampradaya Pradarshini along with hundreds of composition with symbolised notation for the first time in the history to be highly helpful to the poor aspirants. Even later, after the introduction of the modern audio gadgets they have wantonly created hatred also towards listening to the recorded music to keep them away from the recorded music which is very easily available and accessible to the aspirants nowadays.

-----In the olden days when either sound recording or replaying facilities are not available or accessible to a common man, the poor aspirant was ignorantly compelled to depend upon others. Besides, either to listen to all the different Sangathis of the compositions or even to retain all of them the aspirant is compelled to listen to others many a time depending upon their mercy to sing. More over, as these music-teachers are always used to modify their Sangathis in their regular creation in the absence of any fixed notation it was becoming more and more difficult either to follow them or to understand or to retain them properly. In this entire un-standardised and dependable situation the learning process of this invisible art was made bad to worse by all these performer-teachers. Very sadly, even after the invention and introduction of such audio and video facilities the situation did never change at all by these adamant performer-teachers wantonly making the poor aspirants dependents.

Even in all the educational institutions, while not only the text books but reference books are also supplied plentifully for each and every subject, unfortunately, for music, except few reference books, no text books either for theory or practical have ever been supplied to the poor aspirants except in respect of Distance-courses. Even in respect of these music books, many authors have brought out many books along with hundreds of notated compositions but without any pre-recorded CDs containing the same compositions sung in the same notation. This itself stands as the testimony of their ulterior motive in keeping the poor aspirants always dependents upon these music-teachers.

Many are not at all aware that their teacher is the main cause of the inefficiencies of the aspirants in many cases. If proper plans are made to fully utilize the present modern audio and video gadgets to help the poor aspirants they can do things independently and progress very quickly and efficiently. Unlike in any other music-institution on the globe, since last 5 or 6 years, this is what we all have been striving hard to do for the all-round progress of our kids in the system of AMS Easy Methods in learning our music.

-----Very sadly, these performer-teachers never made any provision to any aspirant to learn music quickly or efficiently. That is why like only the three disciples, the son Ashwatthama, the indirect disciple Ekalavya and the direct disciple Arjuna among all the 100+ disciples of Dronacharya of Mahabharata, the disciples on finger-counts only could become successful performers. All the remaining unsuccessful performers are compelled to lead their lives as teachers only, though they are not successful even as teachers.

In general, people think that a great maestro also teaches extremely well and makes each one of his/her disciples a great maestro. But, here, Dronacharya’s incident proves that irrespective of the teacher’s abilities the intelligent disciples only come up and outshine all others with their individual talent and hard work. If not, all the 100+ disciples of Dronacharya would have become stalwarts like these three most famous disciples. Even in respect of our music also, in all the respective cases, the same thing happened and only a very few disciples of the great Gurus have become successful performers leaving others as teachers. amsharma

msakella
Posts: 2127
Joined: 30 Sep 2006, 21:16

Re: AMS Easy Methods 2007 CD - Teaching and Learning Methods

Post by msakella »

IMPORTANT FACTS:

EVEN WITHOUT RECOGNIZING THE PRIMARY IMPORTANCE OF THE ASPIRANT AND TAKING PROPER ACTION IN REMOVING HIS/HER PROBLEMS IN INDEPENDENTLY LEARNING THIS ART IT IS ABSOLUTELY FOOLISH TO EXPECT ANY KIND OF DEVELOPMENT OF THIS ART, MUSIC.

Since a very long time, by following this un-standardised system of teaching/learning which is filled with illogicalities and irrationalities and in which a number of items of primary exercises and compositions are taught but not the needed grammar, ultimately, qualified impotents are being produced by all these music-institutions or music-departments. But, as nobody is aware of this irreparable loss no proper action has ever been taken to rectify it at any time.

Being the performance oriented art, music, each and every aspirant whoever aspires to learn music naturally prefers to mostly perform the art at a very high level and to earn many thins accordingly. That is why even in Chennai, the seat of music, either the demand or the competition are extremely high keeping all the Chennaites always more of performer’s perspective and far less of teacher’s perspective. By this, we can arrive at the conclusion that, like the two shores of a river and the person nearer to one shore is naturally remains far way to the other shore, even in our music, any person more of performer’s perspective naturally remains far away of the teacher’s perspective. In this respect, as usual, many of the readers may or may not like to enter into any discussion with me or may or may not even agree with me, but this is my ultimate finding in this respect. But, unfortunately, since a very long time, a different kind of attitude or aptitude has always been kept by all our maestros or legends or experts or title-holders far away from looking into or from finding proper solutions of the umpteen problems of our poor aspirants and their enthusiastic parents. That is why, even though all our musicians have been used to profusely and overtly praise Subbarama Dikshsitar for having brought out his monumental work, Sangita Sampradaya Pradarshini along with hundreds of compositions with symbolized notation none of them did covertly follow or develop writing this symbolized-notation for the benefit of the aspirants.

By this time, by going through all my posts, I hope that the readers must have understood that these lethargic and selfish performer-teachers have always preferred to keep the poor and ignorant aspirant far away from the knowledge of writing the items or compositions or Swarakalpana or Ragalapana in notation along with the listening to recorded music which are most essential to the aspirant to work independently and learn this invisible art, music. As these performers themselves, under the guise of the music-teachers, have formulated all these syllabi of all the different courses in music mostly a number of items or compositions are dumped in these syllabi making the aspirant more dependent on the compositions than the needed grammar in our music. Having much of my life acquainted with umpteen music-institutions and music-departments and their activities I am well aware of many bitter facts of them which have all along been used only to hinder than help the poor aspirants in the absence of any academic supervision since last 50 years or more. Thus, ultimately, the bitter fact is that each and everywhere the poor and ignorant aspirant is kept in a hopeless and un-questionable situation in learning music and only the highly intelligent and hard working aspirant is able to overcome all these hurdles and become knowledgeable in this music in this wantonly and wastefully elongated period of 10 years or even more. By all this, when a flawless logical plan is formulated for the first time in the history rightly exposing the aspirant to simultaneously work hard independently on his/her own and learn things even many average aspirants are able to learn music very quickly and efficiently hardly within a span of only one year or even less.

In these performance-oriented subjects the process of learning must also be made performance- oriented. While learning either the driving of a motor-cycle or cooking the items the respective teacher, without doing things himself/herself, must only initiate the aspirant learn the art while making the process on his/her own. The same thing absolutely applies even to music and the more the aspirant relies upon a machine like Casio for precise rhythm and note to work hard with confidence on his/her own the more quickly and efficiently he/she can learn the art. A good teacher has been defined as the one who makes himself progressively unnecessary.

The main aim of this unique method of learning music is only to properly initiate the aspirant work on his/her own, get proper acquaintance with the intricacies of rhythm and notes and become able to manage with writing notation, Swarakalpana and Ragalapana within the duration of not more than one year but not merely learning a number of items or compositions for years.

At the first instance, the vehicle must be kept in proper condition and under the control of the rider to move fast and, in the same manner, the rhythmical abilities of the aspirant must properly be stabilized before initiating him/her to deal with the rhythm and note.

While the above episode is running on one side, on the other side, may be by God’s will, all the failures in my teaching-life have compelled me to look into all these problems of the poor aspirants and their parents even after my retirement at this old age. Thus, ultimately, not only in respect of the only unsolved topic, Talaparastara, but also in respect of this unique method in learning our music, the Almighty had very kindly blessed me fully for the benefit of our aspirants’ community at large for the first time in the history. Accordingly and unbelievably, unlike all other music-teachers, I, holding the music class only twice a week and very rarely singing in any of the music-classes for not more than one minute, am able to properly initiate all my aspirants in doing things on their own and work hard for 2 to 3 hours daily even in my absence and become able to deal with the notation or Swarakalpana or Ragalapana within the duration of only one year. I shall extremely be happy if any of these maestros or legends or experts or title-holders does the same for the benefit of our kids.

To tell the fact, almost in the fag end of my Govt. service only I could arrive at the correct way of playing any Varna on Violin. But, only after 10 years after my retirement, I could find in which way I can properly initiate my students to sing the maximum duration in each class even without singing myself for more than one minute in any of the classes. amsharma

msakella
Posts: 2127
Joined: 30 Sep 2006, 21:16

Re: AMS Easy Methods 2007 CD - Teaching and Learning Methods

Post by msakella »

Even a useless fool is well aware that it is not at all possible to build the floors of a building without scaffolding. Even without the knowledge of figures or their implication the kids are compelled to get the mathematical-tables by heart by which the process of learning the arithmetical calculations is made easy later. All the kids are used to observe the movements of the elders in doing things and, later, to imitate them in doing things thus proving that imitation is the primary level of learning.

While each and every sensible person is fully aware of all these above facts and sincerely and honestly encourages the kids in doing things on their own independently I do not understand why our performer-teachers do not follow this in initiating the kids learning music right from the first day of their music-lesson. Why, without any exception, they all prefer to follow the wastefully elongated process of teaching/learning music? While even a small kid is able not only to sing both Purvanga and Uttaranga of 9 Varnas @ 4-6-8-notes per Kriya very efficiently but also able to proceed further in learning Kritis and singing intricate mathematical Swarakalpana on her own hardly within the duration of one year I do not understand why all these performer-teachers prefer the wastefully elongated process to teach the poor aspirants thus criminally wasting their invaluable time, energy and money.

Hereunder the url of the audio-file of the Kriti, Samajavaragamana-Hindola-Adi, sung by my great-grand-daughter, Chi. Padmaja (find the details in the post No.446), a 10 months old baby in learning music, is furnished for the benefit of the aspirants and their parents. amsharma

https://soundcloud.com/saraswathi-vvs/2 ... iti-samaja

msakella
Posts: 2127
Joined: 30 Sep 2006, 21:16

Re: AMS Easy Methods 2007 CD - Teaching and Learning Methods

Post by msakella »

As written by late T.V.Subbarao in the Journal of the Music academy ‘There is nothing like the Varna to furnish an authoritative basis for Ragalakshana and Sanchara. The Kirtana may change by Sangathis. The Svaras of the Varna are fixed unalterably’ it is absolutely true. But, as most of our music-teachers, under the guise of teaching, sing or play the Varnas themselves ritualistically but not in a manner to make the aspirant learn the intricacies properly, very sadly, the learning of Varnas is not serving the truly intended purpose at all. More over, to manage with the Varnas efficiently the aspirant, at the first instance, must become able to manage with all the Alankaras in singing them @ 1-2-3-4-6-8-notes per each beat. Most of our music-teachers themselves cannot manage with this kind of singing and, that is why, none of them even tries to make the aspirant also sing them in this manner. This is the fundamental defect of each and every music-teacher. No music-teacher on earth appreciates me if I write this but this is the bitter truth.

To tell the fact, while learning music, each and every item has its own specific and logical purpose in learning. But, unfortunately, under the guise of teaching, in this kind of ritualistic and traditional way of singing or playing which is filled with umpteen illogicalities and irrationalities, no item is serving the purpose of learning or making the aspirant truly knowledgeable to work hard independently with confidence and proceed further and further in his/her task. Giving the true knowledge to the aspirant must be the criteria of any honest teacher. But, very sadly, as singing a number of items in a ritualistic manner, under the guise of teaching, has become the criteria, ultimately, the purpose of learning itself is lost in the quantitative method in teaching our music which many are not even aware of .

To tell the truth, if all these illogicalities and irrationalities of the methods in teaching music are removed it certainly quickens the process. As all our music-teachers have all along been used to this old system, except going on singing all the items one after the other and making the aspirant also sing along they need not abide by any other duties or responsibilities like inculcating the knowledge of Manodharma Sangita etc., as they can go on squeezing money from the poor and ignorant aspirants for many prolonged years and as they all can very well manage with all their harmful acts towards the aspirants and their parents they always prefer to follow the old system only. None of them ever comes out even to discuss these methods of teaching as such things will certainly spill out their own beans.

However, since a long time, we, as a team, in this very limited area at Secunderabad, are able to save our kids from all these harmful acts and give them music with very high standards, unbelievably. Unless the parents become aware of all these facts and unless they all demand the respective music-teachers of their kids to quicken the process of teaching music with high-standards this problem will never be solved by these lethargic and selfish music-teachers.

Only by the grace of the Almighty all such lacunae of the old system could be found and by taking each and every care in rectifying them, now, the process of learning itself has very successfully been made ‘time-bound and result-oriented’ for the first time in the history. Thus, in this logical and qualitative system of learning (not singing/teaching), right from the first day of learning the music-lesson the aspirant is properly initiated to work hard and learn things on her//her own. In this process the aspirant will become fully equipped by learning up to Varnas to perform the journey ahead efficiently and successfully. Even then if the aspirant, at the completion of learning these Varnas, is unable to manage with the learning of Kritis, Swarakalpana and Ragalapana, no doubt, it obviously reveals the defective and irresponsible guidance of the teacher.

Some more urls of the respective audio-files very recently sung by my disciples successfully are furnished hereunder for the benefit of the aspirants. Please enjoy. amsharma

The urls of the audio-files of 13 years old Chi. Pradyumna from USA started from 01-08-2014, attending the class twice a week on Skype and regularly practicing for 2 hours daily are furnished hereunder. Within these 6 months he was able to finish of learning all the select 9 Varnas and Swarajati, able to learn Kritis on his own basing upon the notated pdf file and audio-file and to sing Swarakalpana on his own.

https://soundcloud.com/pradyumn-2/sets/ams-lessons

sastrydevarakonda
Posts: 35
Joined: 20 Jun 2014, 12:19

Re: AMS Easy Methods 2007 CD - Teaching and Learning Methods

Post by sastrydevarakonda »

Namaste to members of Rasika.org
Iam here to express some of my feelings about the learning part of Carnatic music.
My main interest is to perfect myself about playing veena, as I had spent good time in learning of Veena, and all my efforts have along been in that pursuit.
As Sri Sarma garu expressed, “while learning music, each and every item has its own specific and logical purpose in learning”, so the need for the aspirant is that he/she is guided properly, then only the aspirant will be able build on his/her own the required capabilities to become a true/perfect musician.

As sri Sarma garu says, EVERY ITEM in the learning process has its own influence to become a good artist, even for any instrumentalist, playing of Varnas as defined by AMS 2007 easy methods, is very much necessary at 120 speed.
As I was talking to my music friend today, describing about,
1. The fluency over the instrument- that means, for any tough notation- the hand should be able to play without any preparation, even before one notices, the Sangati should have come out smoothly.
2. The other aspect, the laya part of 3-5-7 and 4-5-7 in chaturasra and thisra gatis, as this paves way for building the required Swara flow and build the laya balance within the system.
This is not acquired with simple saying or few days practice, this has to go into the body/system, and the practice has to be done to that extent. Thinking also improves as one keeps thinking and practicing, thinking and practicing
Definitely, quite a good progress one can see after doing the above exercises. Thanks to AMS2007 easy methods. Sastry

msakella
Posts: 2127
Joined: 30 Sep 2006, 21:16

Re: AMS Easy Methods 2007 CD - Teaching and Learning Methods

Post by msakella »

In continuation of my 453rd post I hereunder furnish the url of another Kriti learnt on her own and sung by my 14 years old great-grand-daughter, Chi. Padmaja along with intricate Kalpanaswaras for the benefit of the aspirants.

https://soundcloud.com/saraswathi-vvs/2 ... mmaravamma

As her instinctive abilities in rhythm have properly been stabilized even in the beginning itself she could very ably manage with the intricacies of the Kalpanaswaras. However, as she is only a10 months old baby in music she requires some more time to get more acquaintance with different notes and get them stabilized. amsharma

msakella
Posts: 2127
Joined: 30 Sep 2006, 21:16

Re: AMS Easy Methods 2007 CD - Teaching and Learning Methods

Post by msakella »

Dear brother-member, sastrydevarakonda,

Nowadays many persons live on false pride, hypocrisy, indiscipline etc., etc., and in the same manner most of our music-teachers also live on illogicalities and irrationalities in teaching music. Even though they are also aware of this they cannot avoid them as they are more benefited by this harmful acts only and the poor aspirants are not at all aware of them or even able to question about them.. That is why, even in respect of the symbolized notation brought out by Subbarama Dikshitar in his monumental work, Sangita Sampradaya Pradarshini, all our musicians became tight-lipped doing nothing to follow it or develop it though these aspirants are truly benefited by this system of notation. In fact, had this system of writing the compositions, Kalpanasvaras and Ragalapanas in symbolized notation, been properly developed with a provision to utilize the modern audio gadgets also it would have helped a lot in many ways to the aspirants to independently work on their own and learn music themselves very quickly and efficiently. Like getting the mathematical-tables by heart by the kids even without the knowledge of the implications, it was proved in many experiments that even Kalpanasvaras and Ragalapanas, properly written in notation help a lot more to the aspirant in getting the respective knowledge very quickly and efficiently than even the teacher.

In this process, while an efficient, honest and reliable teacher properly initiates the aspirants in learning the intricacies of rhythms and intricacies of the oscillations of notes which make the aspirant able to proceed further and further in learning music, other teachers teach only a number of items or compositions illogically either in the class or in any workshop or in any Lec-dem nothing but to squeeze more money from the aspirants like a deceitful tailor who always supply the already stitched pants or shirts but never gives out the technique of taking the physical measurements of the person or properly cutting the cloth without waste.

Once, my very intelligent Advocate-friend who was urgently in need of some money, abruptly arranged a function in connection with the birth-day of one of his four sons, distributed invitations to one and all including his clients and through the collected money received in the form of gifts he could manage his financial crisis. Even another intelligent Doctor-friend also did the same thing when he was in need of money. I think they all have got this idea from their respective music-teachers who have always been used to arrange work-shops or Lec-dems on Ata-tala-varnas or Pancharatnas or 72-Melaragamalika or compositions of famous composers etc., etc., only to squeeze money but not to honestly or sincerely make the aspirants truly knowledgeable in music. This kind of people are also used to publish music-books with simple notation but without any pre-recorded CD which helps the aspirants a lot more than the teacher. As our maestros or legends or experts are never used to do such helpful acts very intelligent and hard working aspirants only are able to come up and the remaining are compelled to settle as inefficient teachers, in turn, producing umpteen impotent aspirants like them.

That is why, while many of our greedy musicians are used to attract the aspirants by arranging periodical workshops or Lec-dems on Svarakalpana or Raganana etc., and , at the same time, to earn more money on recursive basis, I have made division-wise audio and video files of all the Varnas and only audio files for many of the compositions and uploaded them to ‘sangeethamshare’ and ‘youtube’ for free utilization of the aspirants all over the globe. In the same manner I have brought out my book, Sangita Swararaga Sudha also with notated Kalpanaswaras in all the six popular Talas and Alapanas of 36 Ragas which could be obtained in one-time investment along with a pre-recorded CD. amsharma

msakella
Posts: 2127
Joined: 30 Sep 2006, 21:16

Re: AMS Easy Methods 2007 CD - Teaching and Learning Methods

Post by msakella »

In continuation to the previous 456th post pertaining to the music-learning of my great-grand-daughter, Chi. Padmaja from Bangalore, a school-going kid of 14 years of age (started on 26-02-2014), now, I hereunder furnish the respective URL in which she had learnt on her own and sung ‘Brochevarevare-Shreeranjani-Adi’ along with intricate mathematical Kalpanaswaras hardly within the span of only one year. In any of the classes I did never sing even Sa or Pa.

https://soundcloud.com/saraswathi-vvs/2 ... sriranjani

In this process of learning as this kid is properly initiated to sing the Varnas @ 4-6-8 notes per Kriya it became very easy to learn the Kriti on her own and sing the intricate Swarakapana very quickly and efficiently within one year.

But, like the tailor-teacher who makes the aspirant stitch a number of pants or shirts but doesn’t give the aspirant the knowledge of taking the physical measurements of the person or properly cutting the cloth without making it waste, all our music-teachers go on singing a number of items only and make the aspirant also sing along with them but do not make them equipped with the needed grammar.

Even if any person like me brings out the logical way of learning music or questions about the illogicalities or irrationalities of the present methods in teaching all these music-teachers become tight-lipped, keep quiet and conveniently turn a deaf ear instead of honestly and truthfully striving hard for the betterment of our kids. amsharma

sastrydevarakonda
Posts: 35
Joined: 20 Jun 2014, 12:19

Re: AMS Easy Methods 2007 CD - Teaching and Learning Methods

Post by sastrydevarakonda »

Namaste to members of rasika.org,
The two important aspects of Music, whether it is vocal or instrumental, are Ragalaapana and Swarakalpana
Each component has its own importance and significance in music, and similarly the effort required also is very much different.
In Ragalaapana the inter relations of the notes is well explained and rendered, protecting the Bhavam of the ragam, where as the mathematical phenomena of notes with laya and also protecting the Raga Bhavam.
To my understanding, if one gets a proper breakthrough in these two components, I think, one can comfortably sail through music innings without any difficulty.
Always it is an important aspect that logical thinking is the very much necessity for the ambitious learner to progress in music. We have to be sure about, what we should learn, and how should we progress.
AMS easy methods, 2007, which is the synthesized output from his vast experience of the great guru, Sri Akella Mallikharjuna Sarma garu, provides very good answer for the ambitious learner.
The defined Varnas in this method have to be thoroughly practiced, paying attention towards, the Laya, speed @120/beat, protecting the bhavam whether at 1-note/beat or 8-notes/beat.
Th Raga Vayyarams/required gamakas specific for the ragam, which one can learn by listening to the audio files of the varnas provided in this method, and for any instrumentalist, the extra effort is that, they have to look for the technique to bring out the required Bhavam, that can be picked, by listening to the experienced good hands playing the instrument.
I think this part forms an important constituent in the learning process, because, depending upon the individual grasping capabilities, and how many time a varnam to be practiced to reach the fluency with melody, the answer lies in – when one gets the feel for the ragam. That much practice is required that too for an instrumentalist.
My sincere wish all the ambitious learners follow this method and become a sincere musician. sastry

msakella
Posts: 2127
Joined: 30 Sep 2006, 21:16

Re: AMS Easy Methods 2007 CD - Teaching and Learning Methods

Post by msakella »

Among the umpteen illogicalities and irrationalities of the present methods in teaching our music one major illogicality is to mercilessly keep the aspirant always dependent upon the teacher without making any provision to work hard independently. Very sadly, I also have learnt in the same manner and, in turn, also taught in the same harmful way to my students in my Govt. service for 35 long years as a regular teacher. But, only after five years after my retirement I could realize this blunder and the present music-teachers may not believe me even if I honestly write that this itself has become the very first stepping-stone to the success in my teaching life (I have already been writing and also I am always ready to reveal out all such vital details of these novel system of learning music for the sole benefit of the poor and ignorant aspirants. But, as this eventually leads contrarily to the self-interests of all these music-teachers they all are afraid to come out either to listen to these details or follow or even to discuss them in the open).

Long long ago, only to suit their needs, the old maestros or legends or experts have formulated and implemented this present suicidal method in teaching music in which a number of items only are regularly sung by the teacher and the aspirants are also supposed to follow the teacher in singing. In this process nothing is supplied with notation and only after learning a large number of items for a long time the aspirant must become able to sing Ragalapana and Swarakalpana on his/her own accord. This is just like the maths-teacher teaching multiplication to the kids even without giving him/her the mathematical tables. How insensitive, irresponsible and cruel our music-teachers are in making our kids dependents and impotents in this way? Very sadly, nobody is ready either to agree or remove these most harmful illogicalities even in the interest of our own kids. That is the pity.

Later, in my extensive methods in learning music I, ultimately, found that the aspirant will certainly and abundantly be benefited by independent hard-work in this process of learning. In general, all our musicians hate key-board as it doesn’t allow to bring out our Gamakas as they are and I also was thinking on the same lines for much of my life. But, when I looked deep into it whether our kids could independently utilize it even up to some extent I have found a way out as along with pure notes even the upper-note and the lower-note of a Gamaka could precisely be played but without the continuity of sound like in Vocal. If this is properly understood and planned even this machine helps us a lot. Thus, in my later experiments I have later found that invariably relying upon the machine, key-board having the provision of Metronome and Transpose, helps the aspirant a lot than even the human teacher. When I have practically implemented this upon my students the end-results are very astounding. That is why, in our institution, Swarabhangima at Secunderabad each and every kid of 90+ kids regularly practice mostly relying upon the key-board. There is no exaggeration if I write that relying upon the key-board itself is the key for our thumping success in the novel methods in learning music very quickly and efficiently unlike in the past.

Just by properly initiating the kid to work hard on his/her own he/she himself/herself learns the knowledge of singing and writing the notation paving way to sing Swarakalpana and Ragalapana even before learning the first Kriti on his/her own hardly within the span of only one year. In this process, unbelievably and very rarely I need to sing even Sa or Pa in any of the classes.

Today, I have uploaded to ‘youtube’ 9 select Varnas played on the key-board @ 1 nps (note-per-second) by one of my students, Chi. Pradyumna, 13 years old resident of USA learning since last 7 months (started on 23-07-2014).

The respective URL-link is furnished hereunder for the benefit of the interested aspirants. amsharma

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=P ... 3MQQDjweVI

msakella
Posts: 2127
Joined: 30 Sep 2006, 21:16

Re: AMS Easy Methods 2007 CD - Teaching and Learning Methods

Post by msakella »

In continuation to the 458th post above, now, I hereunder furnish the respective url in which my great-grand-daughter, Chi. Padmaja (started learning from 26-02-2014) herself had learnt on her own and sang ‘Evarura-Mohana-Chapu-Kriti’ along with Kalpanaswaras No.1, 2 & 3. amsharma

https://soundcloud.com/saraswathi-vvs/2 ... hapu-kriti

vvssaraswathi
Posts: 22
Joined: 22 Aug 2014, 14:14

Re: AMS Easy Methods 2007 CD - Teaching and Learning Methods

Post by vvssaraswathi »

Namaste to all members of Rasikas.org. I am new to this forum and felt to share some thoughts.

My daughter Padmaja started music from my grand father Sri Akella Mallikarjuna Sarma garu from March 2014.

Even though I was very interested in music, I could not learn because of lack of facilities in my town.We wished my children to learn music, but my daughters were never interested. We tried all means, but all our efforts were in vain. Their sruti was very bad and there was absolutely no music background at our home.

When my elder daughter spoke to my grand father in end of Feb 2014, he shared some Laya exercises and asked her to practice. It changed her perspective towards music. Surprisingly, she started liking it and completed Laya exercises and started to practise regularly.
He taught her on phone for 2 days per week and guided her to learn on her own. Within 1 year, she completed 9 varnams in 4 6 8 and started kritis.
She was able to sing swarakalpana on her own.

Exactly 1 year back, her singing was always in our dreams. Now, we are seeing her singing which make our family very happy. We are thankful to Sri AMS garu for his guidance and support.

Thank you.

msakella
Posts: 2127
Joined: 30 Sep 2006, 21:16

Re: AMS Easy Methods 2007 CD - Teaching and Learning Methods

Post by msakella »

vvssaraswathi:

Any sensible person, in general, prefers to get the best in respect of the quality, get it cheap by incurring the minimum in respect of the expenditure and to make it fast in respect of spending time. This is but logical in respect of any sensible person. If any person does things contrarily and incurs heavy loss of quality or money or invaluable time he/she is called insensible and illogical fool. But, in general, very few intelligent persons only can become aware of this, follow the logical way, get benefited in every respect and aspect of their lives and stand ideal to all others,

Even though I too was insensible and illogical for much of my teaching life, ultimately, I could realize all my blunders and very strictly following the logical way I could not only rectify my own defects but also became able to recognize the defects of others and serve our society truly, truthfully and efficiently. Particularly, in respect of the basic methods in learning our music, due to the lethargic, conservative and egoistic temperaments, each and every music-teacher became jaundice-eyed and unable either to recognize his/her own defects or rectify them or even to serve the society truly or truthfully.

Even in my locality, Malkajgiri, at Secunderabad, very few persons like you could become realized and truly benefited. Even if we try to make things clear by bringing our experiences through these posts very few sensible persons only realize and do the needful. But, by the scant or nil response we receive in this process, we should not become discouraged or stop doing things which help a lot to the society in our own way.

Almost all the performers are more of performer’s perspective only. They cannot reform the society properly. Even in the past, they did never do it. But many of them claim that they did a lot to the society. Had they did a lot why our Violin aspirants are not in a position to have even a single video of our so called Violin legends taken for educational purpose to go through and learn things from it?

It is the duty and responsibility of the efficient and honest teacher only to reform the society. A performer always strives hard only to make others enjoy his music in one form or the other. In this process he/she can manage his/her entire life dealing with Chaturashra-gati only. But, the teacher’s duty and responsibility is to fully equip the aspirant along with both the Chaturashra and Trisra-gatis. That is why, in our institution, Swarabhangima at Secunderabad, each and every kid of our 90+ kids is able to deal with these two Gatis singing all the 9 select Varnas @ 4-6-8 notes per beat very efficiently.

The deceitful tailor-teacher always makes the aspirant stitch a number of pants or shirts but never gives him/her the knowledge of getting the physical measurements of the person or cutting the cloth without making any waste. In the same manner, since a very long time, all our music-teachers are taught to sing themselves and make the aspirant also sing along with them but not to make the aspirant sing and learn things like its grammar on his/her own. Unfortunately, while neither the aspirants or the parents or even the teachers themselves are able to realize, this is a daylight cheating but not at all teaching.

This suicidal method of teaching our music was formulated long ago by some maestros or legends or experts who are of lethargic, conservative and egoistic temperaments to facilitate their performance-oriented life escaping from holding any responsibility of inculcating the knowledge of the grammar of music in the aspirants and elongating the process for many years. As this has become more convenient to run away from fulfilling the duties and responsibilities all other teachers also blindly followed them. Even in the discussions held in the Music Academy in 2013 and 2014, even if the Secretary, Dr. Pappu, with a dutiful mind, brought out my controversial reference in respect of quickening the learning process of our music none of participants could dare suggesting to invite me then and there for discussions in this respect.

All are well aware that each and everybody has his/her own method of ‘Manodharma’ in doing things like talking or walking or eating or sleeping etc., etc. But our great musicians have wantonly created the illusion of this Manodharma in respect of our music only, in particular. More over, while the aspirant could very easily get into this Manodharma by working hard on his/her own and learning things on his/her own they have created false restrictions in singing or writing the compositions or Kalpanaswaras or Ragalapana in notation and made the poor aspirant fully dependent upon these music-teachers which helped only to elongate the process for many years. If they all are truly harmful to the aspirant why even Sangitakalanidhi Dr. Shripada Pinakapani himself wrote a book itself on this Manodharma Sangita with notation?

Your daughter, Chi. Padmaja, a regularly school-going kid of 14 years of age studying 10th class, started learning music around 1st March, 2014. Now, just after one year on 1st March, 2015, in these 52 weeks of this year, attending only two classes each week and regularly practicing for two hours daily and one or two hours more in the week ends, she herself could learn all the lessons till now on her own and became able to sing all the Varnas @ 4-6-8 notes per beat, 5 or 6 Kritis with intricate mathematical Swarakalpana on her own. Nobody believes me if I write that I did never sing Sa or Pa even for once in any of these classes. This is the unparalleled greatness of these qualitative methods in learning our music. amsharma

rajeshnat
Posts: 9906
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04

Re: AMS Easy Methods 2007 CD - Teaching and Learning Methods

Post by rajeshnat »

msakella gAru,
Lovely post with right spacing between paragraphs. I understand the teachers that you are talking - i have tasted one of them long back when I learnt cm for few years. I suggest some one in hyderabad/chennai area to have an exclusive akandham with say only your 5 students each of varying degrees of learning perform a concert each for 2 to 2 1/2 hours. No talk there we will only circulate few print outs of what you have stated.

While we have lost LGJ and MSG fingering , am i not right to assume that you had touches of MSG and many of this gen indeed have significant touches of LGJ/TNK and MSG etc. May be I am right in assuming there was no awareness and extra lethargy in recording accompanist of that era . Perhaps we have to start with your fingering which has lot of MSG touches - bygones are bygones.

msakella
Posts: 2127
Joined: 30 Sep 2006, 21:16

Re: AMS Easy Methods 2007 CD - Teaching and Learning Methods

Post by msakella »

Dear brother-member, rajeshanat, I am compelled to struggle with this unfamiliar language while bringing out all my feelings and I have my own doubts in my success. However, I thank you four kind compliments.

As you have suggested Shri J.S.Eshwaraprasad, our dynamic Administrative Officer of our music-institute, Swarabhangima at Secunderabad will certainly arrange these concerts by our students. In this respect I request you to kindly put forth your suggestion to him writing to his email address jseprasad@yahoo.com and I shall request him to do the needful.

Merely than simple touches there is a lot more to learn from these Violin-legends which we all have lost already. However, thinking on these lines only I, as an individual, have tried at my own level to pass on very few of their unique finger-techniques in Violin-play by making videos of some select Varnas and uploading them to ‘youtube.com/user/msakella’ for the benefit of the Violin aspirants all over the globe. More than that, as an individual, what can I do at this old age? amsharma

vvssaraswathi
Posts: 22
Joined: 22 Aug 2014, 14:14

Re: AMS Easy Methods 2007 CD - Teaching and Learning Methods

Post by vvssaraswathi »

Dear Sri rajeshanat,

The institute Swarabhangima is a place where Children are learning in AMS methods. I took my daughter to Hyderabad in Oct 2014 to show her the institute and was surprised the way small children are singing. It is delightful to see 6 to 8 year old children singing Varnams in 4-6-8. Many small children are singing swarakalpana and Ragalapana. It is amazing, inspiring and very happy to see Children singing at that age. It is unbelievable that many of them are learning only from last 1-2 years. It is a great service to children.

Even though my daughter is learning from Sri AMS garu on phone, I have never heard him singing for last 1 year. And the class will be only for 15 to 20 minutes, not beyond that.

The stability in Children using AMS methods is only because of the quantitative and qualitative system, more than children's capability. I never believed in March 2014 that if a person has Laya, Sruti can be picked up. My daughter's voice was terribly bad when she started with Sri AMS garu and none in our family knows music. None of us expected that she can sing Sa Pa Sa in Sruti. He kept on giving confidence that Sruti can be picked up. There is a drastic change within 1 year.
- Saraswathi.

msakella
Posts: 2127
Joined: 30 Sep 2006, 21:16

Re: AMS Easy Methods 2007 CD - Teaching and Learning Methods

Post by msakella »

vvssaraswathi:

The sole cause behind the thumping success of your daughter, Chi. Padmaja lies in her instinctive rhythmical ability, hard work and the unstinting encouragement you, the parents, have been giving. By God’s grace she has some instinctive rhythmical ability and after assessing it could be increased to the required level by some exercises and stabilized to enable her proceed further and further on her own in her task.

If you train your kid in driving a motor-cycle and provide him with a motor-cycle he, without remaining at home, always prefers to run away on this machine. In the same manner, if the rhythmical instinctive rhythmical ability of the aspirant is properly stabilized along with the Metronome and a suitable keyboard is provided to rely upon and work independently even in the absence of the teacher to proceed further and further each and every aspirant prefers to remain with this keyboard and do something or the other. As the keyboard is a most reliable machine even than a human teacher any aspirant progresses very rapidly, efficiently and independently.

More over, in general, if an upcoming aspirant comes into the lime light and gets heavy demand each and everybody gives more credit to his/her teacher only as per our tradition. But, in my extensive experiments in this respect it was proved that in such cases 60% of the credit must go to the aspirant, 30% to the system if it truly helps in his/her progress and only 10% to the teacher/guide. But, in our country, if the aspirant becomes famous his/her teacher becomes more famous and many aspirants flock together to learn from this teacher aspiring to become famous artists. If they fail in their task they feel bad of their bad-luck but, fortunately to the teacher, nobody blames the teacher as it is not our tradition at all to blame the teacher or the husband. In such cases nobody realizes that the sole cause for the aspirant’s fame is his/her intelligence and hard work but not of the teacher’s ability. No teacher may agree with me in this respect but this is the bitter truth.

To tell the truth, in my extensive experiments in this respect, I have found that while around 10% of the aspirants only are becoming knowledgeable musicians learning music under the present illogical, irrational and old system more than 60% of the aspirants are becoming knowledgeable musicians learning under the logical, rational and qualitative system I have brought out. amsharma

msakella
Posts: 2127
Joined: 30 Sep 2006, 21:16

Re: AMS Easy Methods 2007 CD - Teaching and Learning Methods

Post by msakella »

Now I hereunder furnish the url of the audio-recording of my great-grand-daughter, Chi. Padmaja from Bangalore in which she had herself learnt the Kriti Prakkalanilabadi-Kharaharapriya-Chapu on her own and absolutely without my personal help. In fact, it is not fit to furnish here as there are many lapses of Shruti. While Shruti must be acquired gradually over long time the rhythm is instinctive and could be stabilized by an efficient teacher (not cheater, however) even in the beginning. Thus, her instinctive abilities have properly been stabilized and she could render without any lapses of rhythm. Only to show this this url is furnished here for the benefit of the aspirants. amsharma

https://soundcloud.com/saraswathi-vvs/2 ... hapu-kriti

sastrydevarakonda
Posts: 35
Joined: 20 Jun 2014, 12:19

Re: AMS Easy Methods 2007 CD - Teaching and Learning Methods

Post by sastrydevarakonda »

17.3.2015
Namaste to members of Rasika.org
Iam here to express some of my feelings about the learning part of Carnatic music.
Iam very happy to see new postings in this column and good responses for the untiring effort of Sri AMS garu. To my understanding, the real lacuna in the music learning field, is that, the learning cross-section is unaware of the right approach/method to learn music, and that has been simplified and brought to the open platform by Sri AMS garu for the real aspirant. This has been a wonderful project for the music aspiring community.
As I have been in the learning process, from different reputed music schools for long time without landing properly, finally I adopted this system, following the system properly, and applying myself with good thinking and now Iam able to do some good work.

As Iam in the learning process of the instrument Veena, I understood, quite a few things which were never told in any music school. As the AMS method says, practicing of the defined Varnas in a defined manner, in a defined speed is really very important task, before one goes to practising other items.
To play Veena, getting fluency over the instrument, playing of any note in proper Sruthi and laya and with correct rendering of the note can come only come with a very good practice of the varnams. As more the number of times the varnam is played, that many number of times the hand is, either , plucking/pulling the note, may be some times wrong, but as our built in body detector, the Ear can tell us the correctness of the note. So in this process, one acquires the command over the note as well as the instrument. Since different varnams with different Aroha-avarohana swarams, and playing these varnams, the hand gets tuned to play all the notes. But here vocal guidance of AMS method will be very useful to understand the place of the note, and requirement of the Gamakam - how much is to be rendered.

This process really helps to play the Ragalapana in a proper manner, gives the feel of the RAAGAM and a very good satisfaction.
The positive message should go to the needy cross-section and the real aspirant should get benefitted from the experiences of the learners.

As AMS garu says, “an efficient, honest and reliable teacher properly initiates the aspirants in learning the intricacies of rhythms and intricacies of the oscillations of notes which make the aspirant able to proceed further and further in learning music” is quite correct and applicable. Thanks to AMS methods.
Sastry

msakella
Posts: 2127
Joined: 30 Sep 2006, 21:16

Re: AMS Easy Methods 2007 CD - Teaching and Learning Methods

Post by msakella »

Dear brother-member, sastrydevarakonda,

Each and every musician invariably knows the greatness of our Varna. But, in my extensive research,
I have found that an efficient and honest teacher only can pave way in properly equipping the aspirant with different facets of knowledge leading to Manodharma-sangita by properly initiating the aspirant in learning these Varnas.

The composition, Varna helps the aspirant a lot in equipping him/her with the needed intricacies of both rhythm and the note to proceed further and further in acquiring the knowledge of Manodharma-sangita. Unless the teacher makes suitable arrangements to the aspirant to rely upon and practice regularly and independently on his/her own even in the absence of the teacher himself/herself this is not possible at all.

In our suicidal traditional system of teaching (not teaching but singing and making the aspirant also sing along), as usual, the Varnas are sung by the teacher and the aspirant also follow along singing. But, in our qualitative system of learning, the details of 60 kinds of oscillations of notes along with symbolized notation and respective audio-file are supplied and the aspirant is made to rely upon the in-built Shruti and Metronome of the Casio-key-board, play it and sing along very slowly in Matra-kaala i.e., @ one-note-per-each-second. By playing and singing at this slow-tempo only all the oscillations are magnified and understood properly to proceed further and further in learning Kritis etc., on his/her own. Except our teachers trained in our novel system of learning music as no other teacher on the globe does in this manner none of them is able to make the process of learning ‘time-bound and result-oriented’ efficiently.

In the old system, while the teachers have been used to always sing themselves right from the beginning up to Kritis and make the aspirants also sing along, in our novel system, the aspirant himself/herself learns all the items by playing them on the key-board and singing along with the Metronome on his/her own very fast with minimum dependence upon the teacher like the kid in my previous post.

Not only at Hyderabad our branches at Bangalore and Chennai also have started functioning, of course, on a slow pace to make a mark of their own in the near future. amsharma

Rajyalakshmi
Posts: 4
Joined: 21 Mar 2015, 23:48

Re: AMS Easy Methods 2007 CD - Teaching and Learning Methods

Post by Rajyalakshmi »

Namaste Rasikas members,

My son Chi.Pradyumn has been learning vocal from Sri MS Akella Sir for the last 8 months and he has already completed all 9 varnas in 468 speed, Kalpana Swara exercises and working on his 8th song Prakkala Nilabadi. Though having little knowledge about music, I still can understand how difficult it is to bring a student to the level of learning Prakkala Nilabadi. While my son is making some effort with his practices, I would really want to convey many thanks to Sri. MS Akella sir for all his dedicated works through the years preparing the syllabus, recordings and perfect notation for all the Kritis. My son was able to learn the first 7 songs with less difficulty due to the precise notation and recordings provided by Sri. Akella Sir. I myself used to struggle to learn a song all these years. Now I feel it is much faster and easier to learn a song because of the perfect notations and recordings.

My son is also working on Ragalapana exercises provided by Sri. Akella Sir. I completely understand and agree with his teaching methodologies which provide the young students with all the necessary ingredients to become a future musicians. While many teachers argue that teaching Ragalapana and Kalpana swaras with the help of pre-drafted notation is incorrect, I strongly believe that providing beginner students with notation for these techniques will help them understand the basic concepts and encourage them to try more on their own.

I hope my son continues his musical journey along the path laid by Sri. AMS Sir. His guidance and encouragement are priceless. Thank you so much for teaching my son this divine art of music. He is gaining more confidence in his musical abilities now.
We are very grateful to you and your efforts in helping the interested kids become better musicians.

Sincerely,
Rajyalakshmi

msakella
Posts: 2127
Joined: 30 Sep 2006, 21:16

Re: AMS Easy Methods 2007 CD - Teaching and Learning Methods

Post by msakella »

Dear sister-member, rajyalakshmi,

Thank you for your kind appreciation.

To tell the fact, there is a lot of history behind bringing out this present successful system of learning our music in which your son, Chi. Pradyumn has been initiated to learn.

Since time immemorial a suicidal system of singing (not teaching) our music both by the teacher and aspirant has been in vogue. This has long ago been formulated by the selfish maestros, legends and experts in music. This has particularly been formulated by them in such a manner that it facilitates not only to maintain their regular practice in giving their regular concerts but also to elongate the process of singing/teaching for many years always keeping the poor aspirants dependents upon them. Accordingly they also created an illusion that Manodharma-sangita could neither be taught nor learnt and also issued a prohibitive rule that notation should not be written either for the compositions or for the Ragalapana or Swarakalpana. That is why they wantonly did neither follow nor encourage the symbolised notation of Subbarama Dikshitrar. While the knowledge of writing notation or singing is the only source to get the knowledge of Manodharma-sangita, very sadly, all the teachers have mercilessly closed all the doors leading to the Manodharma-sangita. If the aspirants are properly, truly and honestly taught and encouraged writing the notation they themselves can learn the Manodharma-sangita very easily and quickly on their own. But, as you truly wrote, they all very conveniently declared that all kinds of pre-drafted notation is harmful to the aspirants. Very sadly, in making such harmful acts to the aspirants, they all are used to connive with each other.

In the present suicidal system of teaching music a number of items only are sung and the aspirants also are made to follow. More over, the aspirants are told that they must work hard and acquire the Manodhrama-sangita on their own. In this respect even Sangita Kalanidhi Dr. Shripada Pinakapani also wrote in his book that after learning 25 Varnas and 50 Kritis only the aspirant must try to attempt for Manodharma-sanigita. However, fortunately for the first time in the history, he brought out his book, Manodharma-sangita with notation though not with a pre-recorded CD like me.

As per this novel system of learning, even though I did never sing even Shadja or Panchama in any of the classes your son himself worked hard with all your encouragement and succeeded in learning the much needed ingredients of our music hardly within 8 months to proceed further on his own later. This is the greatness of this system and the commitment of the aspirant only. amsharma

msakella
Posts: 2127
Joined: 30 Sep 2006, 21:16

Re: AMS Easy Methods 2007 CD - Teaching and Learning Methods

Post by msakella »

In all beings each and every mother always strives hard to make her kid the best in all respects. But, I do not understand, why our so-called Gurus, having been treated far higher than the mother or the father or even the God, have very conveniently closed all the doors leading to the Manodharma-sangita to the poor aspirants. Surprisingly enough, they all regularly sing the sacred compositions of our great saint-composers and on the other hand they all do many kinds of harmful acts to the poor aspirants. Even if it is undoubtedly proved many a time that they all survive upon the illogicalities and irrationalities of teachings only none of them openly comes out to give up their harmful acts upon the aspirants or even discuss about them.

In fact, I have never been taught the Trisra-gati by any one of my teachers. However, as it is a must to learn to a violin-accompanist, I have learnt it later on my own. Funnily, as it was not included in any of our syllabi by any of our maestros or legends or experts, it did never even struck that I must teach Trisra-gati also to my students in properly stabilizing their rhythmical abilities while in my service. Many of my tube-lights went on only 5 years after my retirement and been able to do the needful to the aspirants.

Even though we cannot manage with the other odd-gatis, as the will-wisher of the aspirants, it helps a lot to the aspirants if the teacher, as the well-wisher of the aspirants, properly encourages and initiates the kids in proceeding further with the other odd-gatis also.

Thinking on these lines, even though I also cannot manage with the other odd-gatis at this old age, I have encouraged and initiated my disciple, Chi. Shankara Aditya of Warangal, to practice the other odd-gatis also and he succeeded

Thus, now, I have uploaded 7 video-files of 7-Jati-alankaras sung @ 1-2-3-4-5-6-7 & 8 notes per beat @ 50 bpm speed by my disciple, Chi. B.Shakara Aditya to ‘youtube.com’user/msakella’ and the url is furnished hereunder for the benefit of the interested aspirants. amsharma

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=P ... jOymD4CVWa_

sastrydevarakonda
Posts: 35
Joined: 20 Jun 2014, 12:19

Re: AMS Easy Methods 2007 CD - Teaching and Learning Methods

Post by sastrydevarakonda »

Namaste to Members, Rasika.org,
I would like to put forward some of my thoughts which Iam able to feel through my practice of music, for the benefit of the Veena learners.
I also came through the different phases of learning and passing through different schools with no answers, finally when I adopted the system provided by sri AMS garu, definitely, I feel the change in my thoughts and my playing of veena. From this what I understood, the important features of learning Veena, constitutes, mainly the fluency and speed of playing the instrument, that can come only with,
 Playing the Varnam @ 120 speed, that means - one avruttam of 8 kriyas will take 4 seconds time. This will help in playing the Ragaalapana with sufficient fluency, in a melodious way.

 Rendering the swara combinations taking the help from 3-5-7 & 4-5-7 and both the gatis, in all the main four Talas, ending each avruttam or a small flow of few avruttas with the given muktai swaras. Here more vocal practise is very much required.

 The first exercise will promote Ragaalapana prakriya, the second one will promote Swarakalpana prakriya.

For the aspiring and dedicated music learners and members, this forum helps in finding the required answers for which they have been searching,
So what the ambitious learners or serious musicians, they can share or put forward their thoughts or doubts, in these columns, our great guru sri AMS garu will clarify them.
Let us avail the vast experience of Sri Sharma garu in music and help in paving way for the rich music society.
Sastry

sastrydevarakonda
Posts: 35
Joined: 20 Jun 2014, 12:19

Re: AMS Easy Methods 2007 CD - Teaching and Learning Methods

Post by sastrydevarakonda »

18-5-2015
Namaste to members of Rasika.org
Iam here to express some of my feelings about the learning part of Veena.
As far as learning of Veena is concerned, I doubt that, we can not expect to see any new good Veena player with perfection in the future, (unless one is born genius) since we have been in the precipitated system of learning music, which has been planted so deep in the system, by our predecessors, which will not make us good artists. If the great gurus like Sri AMS garu, says something, the learners, specially the veena aspirants are not in a mind set to receive and understand what the great guru means.

So What I mean is that, we the ambitious learners, can become good veena players, provided we keep following a proper system and put up good home work, for this we should motivate ourself to keep the aim active/alive till we bring out good output with the instrument.
The important aspects as explained by the AMS method –

1. Make the laya system perfect means, the laya excercises 3-5-7 and 4-5-7 in chaturasra and thisra gatis, as this paves way for building the required Swara flow and build the laya balance within the system.

2. Make the fluency over the instrument perfect
The fluency over the instrument- that means, the easy flow of hand over the instrument to play any tough notation, this can come only with playing varnas @120 speed. This is really the toughest part, if we can make this perfect, with good practice with the help of a Matrinomo, may be little late, but sure to reach some point, where the hand movement over the instrument increases.
3. The practice – we can not really define this part, as the answer lies only in more and more practice.
With the above home work, definitely we will be able to put up a good performance with the instrument and build the hope for towards a perfect artist.

Thanks to AMS2007 easy methods. Sastry

msakella
Posts: 2127
Joined: 30 Sep 2006, 21:16

Re: AMS Easy Methods 2007 CD - Teaching and Learning Methods

Post by msakella »

Dear brother-member, sastrydevarakonda,

You need not worry about others response. Since a long time I have been receiving a number of emails from several people all over the globe that only our posts of this particular thread are far more inquisitive to the learners than the posts of any other thread and that they always give the first preference to our posts of this thread only as they all are not only logical and supported by the videos furnished in the ‘youtube’ but also beneficial to all our little kids in saving their invaluable time, energy and money in learning their music very fast and very efficiently.

To tell the fact, the Karnataka-music-syllabi of all the music colleges and music-departments in the universities on the globe are not at all logic based but tradition based. They won’t even agree with me in this respect. But, to my question ‘how many of the successful candidates are able to sing each of the Alankaras or Varnas both in Chaturashra and Trisra-gatis, very strictly along with Metronome, and to sing intricate mathematical Swarakalpana to the maximum number of compositions they have learnt?’ none of these so called teachers can give a justifiable answer. This itself obviously reveals their illogicality and irrationality in teaching. It is not at all an exaggeration if I write that these institutions are the sole breeding centres producing highly impotent musicians which I can prove, if needed, at any time and place. Again, all these impotent musicians, in the struggle of their survival, are compelled to settle as music-teachers all over the globe becoming a global menace deteriorating the standards very rapidly. If these syllabi are modified very strictly basing upon the logicality and rationality we can certainly produce not only talented professionals but also reliable teachers with high caliber.

To learn our Karnatak music efficiently and quickly the aspirant must be initiated to sing the notation or write the notation of any composition or Swarakalpana or Ragalapana independently on his/her own. But, to tell the fact all our maestros or legends or experts, being mostly of performer’s perspective, wantonly prohibited singing or writing any composition or Swarakalpana or Ragalapana in notation closing all the doors of the aspirant in learning music independently. When I have made provisions to open all these doors accordingly not only the process of learning is quickened but the efficiency also increased amazingly and unbelievably. But, as each and every maestro or legend or expert thinks and claims himself/herself not only a great performer but also a great teacher none of them, being egoistic and highly selfish, comes out either to discuss about the methods in learning music or even to standardize them for the sole benefit of the poor aspirants.

As per the ancient Shloka “Shrutirmaata Layaphitaa’, as all are aware, while Shruti is the mother the Laya is the father. But, unless the Laya, the vehicle carrying the music, is given the primary importance the aspirant will not get confidence to move further and further in the process of learning music. Unless our music-teachers realize this and do the needful accordingly all our aspirants are compelled to waste much of their time, energy and money in the process of learning for many years depending upon the so called teachers (cheaters). In general, except accompanying-violinists, all other musicians, being afraid of dealing with the intricate mathematical calculations, always talk against the mathematical Swarakalpana. But, as a professional-violin-accompanist and teacher, in strengthening the all-round abilities of our aspirants, I always train them in rhythmical intricacies only which instill abundant self-confidence into the aspirants.

For another example, as per our tradition, all the music-teachers on the globe, without any exception, start with Dhruva-tala-alankara. I too did in the same manner for many years. But, very sadly, while there are not even handful of compositions in this Dhruva-tala and no musician prefers to sing elaborate Ragalapa or Neraval or Swarakalpana in his/her concert in this confusing Tala, I do not understand, why a very small kid must be taxed to learn this Tala first while learning Alankaras? In the absence of any academic supervision in my entire service of 35 long years, this I realized only after 5 years after my retirement on my own, brought out Jati-alankaras to minimize the implications to the kid and started from the smallest Eka-tala-alanakara. By this, high level self-confidence is infused and all the kids are amazingly running very fast in learning our music further. Now, presently, I feel extremely happy that, even though some of them are hesitating to reveal my name in this respect, many of the music-teachers have been following this method and honestly helping the poor aspirants which is the main criterion.

In this novel method of learning I have initiated my great-grand-daughter. Chi. Padmaja of 14 yrs. old school-going kid, in the music-class held weekly twice by land-phone. I did never sing even Sa or Pa in any of the classes but initiated her sing both the Purvanga and Uttaranga of 9 select Varnas both in Chaturashra and Trisra-gatis, learn 5 or 6 Kritis with intricate mathematical Swarakalpana on her own hardly within only one year (the details of the respective urls are furnished in the above posts). Due to her heavy school load she was able to practice daily for two hours only on week-days and 3 hrs., on Sundays. This became possible when she absolutely relied upon all the needed notated, audio or video-files upto Varnas supplied even on the very first day of this music-lesson. If all our music-teachers do like this music learning certainly becomes quickened. But, as this leads to heavy financial loss none of these music-teachers are preferring this novel method.

Thus, umpteen times it has undoubtedly been proved that an efficient, honest, reliable music-teacher sings or plays less than 1% only but efficiently and properly initiates the aspirant to work hard for more than 99% and to learn on his/her own mostly relying upon the key-board, metronome, notations, audio and video-files. Without singing or playing themselves and making the aspirants also follow them in singing or playing if the music-teachers honestly and sincerely find ways to initiate the aspirants in doing things and learn things on their own in the process of learning music the aspirants can very quickly and efficiently do this. But, as all our maestros or legends or experts are not used to this kind of teaching and as also they don’t like to leave the aspirant in doing things independently many of them are not following this novel method. Adding fuel to the fire their egoistic temperament also will not allow them to discuss any of these methods in teaching with others. By doing so, basing upon the individual talents and hard work an intelligent aspirant proceeds faster and others slower. The person who can efficiently do this must be called ‘true-teacher’ and all others are nothing but cheaters.

Very recently I have held a Summer-Karnataka-music-camp at Hyderabad and basing upon these novel methods in learning our music very successfully trained ten talented kids pf the Residential Schools in the qualitative and logical method in learning our music very quickly and efficiently hardly within a week. Some of the details of it along with the respective urls are furnished in the thread, ‘Swaeroes’ amazing musical talents of the kids’ of the main thread ‘General Discussions’. It has undoubtedly been proved that logical method of learning music only helps a lot more to the aspirants than the wastefully elongated traditional method in saving their invaluable time, energy and money. However, while very few non-professional, honest and sincere people only responded properly professionals or music-teachers took each and every care in being tight-lipped. Thus, these professionals or the music-teachers can neither do so nor even appreciate if others do. That is the pity. amsharma

pmantra
Posts: 60
Joined: 17 May 2015, 17:10

Re: AMS Easy Methods 2007 CD - Teaching and Learning Methods

Post by pmantra »

Its really amazing to witness the day to day progress of young swaeroes( telangana social welfare residential institutions kids) who are really trained in perfect logical scientific methodology by guruvugaru sri. AMS garu. On 1st and 2nd MAY 2015 they were NOVICE By 8 th MAY 2015 they could easily render chaturashram n trisram alankaras, 3,5,7 n 4,5,7 in ch n trisram respectively. They could go easily with symbolized muktayis even. To my surprise they started writing notation in the form of jatis for those symbolised patterns in roopaka, khanda chapu and misra chapu even. This is not to boast, infact to yell on top of my voice that " yes!! This is the perfect" path paved by sri. AMS garu to the present music aspirants.
Dr. Prasanna Mantraratnam.
Last edited by pmantra on 24 May 2015, 17:52, edited 1 time in total.

pmantra
Posts: 60
Joined: 17 May 2015, 17:10

Re: AMS Easy Methods 2007 CD - Teaching and Learning Methods

Post by pmantra »

i got this great oppurtunity to be part and parcel of that summer camp as I am one of the music teachers working in those institutions.
Dr.Prasanna Mantraratnam.

pmantra
Posts: 60
Joined: 17 May 2015, 17:10

Re: AMS Easy Methods 2007 CD - Teaching and Learning Methods

Post by pmantra »

To be frank indian music is blessed with innumerable maestros, legends, experts, performers rather than a few finger countable music teachers. To refer, it has been learnt that there are two types of gurus DRONAS and SAANDEEPAS. Dronacharya, the great guru taught many and when top most disciple arjuna offered to choose gurudakshina, he asked for the head of drupada maharaja. On the other hand Saandeepa, lord krishna's guru, who is versed with MRITASANJEEVANI VIDYA, has passed his talent to his common disciple (without caring for the SHAAPAM that he himself will loose the ability if he preaches it to someone else) and could fill the life in a dead boy. who is the best teacher? the one who wanted his disciple to kill or the one who could make the dead one live with his disciple' s hands? This is applicable to music dronas too. They are just killing/ curbing music aspirants' creative minds of india by injecting illogical methodologies which is in turn passing over to next generations. Without experience, one can never speak the truth. Without tasting, one can never tell how delicious is a fruit is. One should experience on own.The same way, my experience in this summer camp 2015 revealed the perfect logical music teaching to me. Abhinava Saandeepaa guruvugaru sri. Akella Mallikarjuna Sharma garu proved this in my dept. Am the right person in my dept to authenticate the end result of this logical methodology. Now, NO REVERSE GEAR!!!
I BOW TO guruvugaru SRI AM SHARMA GARU from the bottom of my heart for rejuanating and strengthening my music teaching.
NINGILONA TELLA MEGHAM NALLABADITEYNE JHALLULU KURISEDI
CHETTUPAINA PUULU MOTHAM RAALIPOTENE PINDELU KAASEDI.
OKA UDAYAM MUNDARA CHEEKATLU VIJAYAM MUNDARA IKKATLU RAAVADAMANNADI MAAMULEY
Dr. Prasanna Mantraratnam.
Music Teacher (Adavimallela of khammam dist)
TSWREIS.

msakella
Posts: 2127
Joined: 30 Sep 2006, 21:16

Re: AMS Easy Methods 2007 CD - Teaching and Learning Methods

Post by msakella »

Chi. Sow. Dr. Prasanna dear,

The present illogical, irrational, elongating and wasteful methods of teaching/learning our music have been formulated by all our maestros or legends or experts only not only to facilitate their earnings but also to keep the poor aspirants always dependants upon these so called maestros or legends or experts who are mostly of performer’s perspective and very lesser of teacher’s perspective.

To tell the fact even a kid studying 8th class can very easily guide another little kid in writing or reading small words or sentences and not even a Matriculate is needed to do this. In the same manner to truly train a kid in the needed basics of our music another elder kid can certainly do it and no maestro or legend or expert is needed to do this. If the system of learning music is logically and rationally standardised even an elderly kid can also act as a guide to other little kid. But, most unfortunately, all these so called maestros or legends or experts have never allowed to properly standardize the system of learning our music as they have always been very busily engaged and always striving hard in their self-aggrandisement. For an example, in respect of the astounding techniques in our Violin-play, very pitiably, not even a single video has ever been brought out for the educational purpose to help the poor aspirants by any of the maestros or legends or experts in Violin-play as they all have always been very busily engaged and doing any thing for their self-aggrandisement only.

More over, logically what kind of knowledge must be inculcated among the aspirants in shaping them as musicians? Any aspirant must be initiated to learn singing notation or writing notation of a composition or Swarakalpana or Ragalapana independently. Why independently? For example, while learning cooking, if the teacher makes the aspirant sit in a chair and demonstrates cutting the vegetables and cooking the items on the hot oven there is no use in this practical oriented subject. In the same manner even while learning the driving of a motor-cycle, if the teacher makes the aspirant sit on the pillion and himself sits in the front seat and drives there is no use in this practical oriented subject. In cooking, unless the aspirant himself/herself cuts the vegetables and cooks the items on the hot oven he himself or she/herself feels different kinds of problems which can only be felt but not described in words or sentences. Even in respect of learning the swimming it is always preferable to push the kid into the water being ready to save him/her at any moment.

In the same manner in all my extensive experiments running since last many years it has undoubtedly been proved that this kind of self-learning only serves the purpose efficiently quickening the process by saving the invaluable time, energy and money. By scrupulously following these methods many aspirants are getting amazing and un-believable end-results.

On one side while even the kids from the lowest strata of the society are also able to bring out their amazing musical talents through these logical and qualitative methods in learning our music and, on the other side, while even the highly knowledgeable gentlemen and well-wishers, without any bias, are coming out open and extending their whole-hearted support to the immediate propagation of these novel methods in the society at large I do not understand the ulterior strategy of the so called maestros or legends or experts in being tight-lipped even upon these highly helpful developments to the poor aspirants and their enthusiastic parents in getting higher-level of music-education to their beloved kids. amsharma

vvssaraswathi
Posts: 22
Joined: 22 Aug 2014, 14:14

Re: AMS Easy Methods 2007 CD - Teaching and Learning Methods

Post by vvssaraswathi »

Namaste to all the members of Rasikas.org

Dr Prasanna garu, under guidance of Sri AMS garu, proved that flawless teaching yield to best and surprising results, in a short span of time.
As Guruvugaru always says - time bound and result oriented education is needed for small children, we are able to get the feel now after seeing results of small children.

As other Rasikas responded, it is amazing and inspiring to see the small kids rendering 3-5-7 and 4-5-7 in a weeks time. Thanks to Sri AMS garu and Dr Prasanna garu for their affectionate and strengthened training to small children.

We heard about Swarabhangima institute at Neredmet, Secbad, which is run by Sri Eswarprasad garu and Smt Chidrupa lakshmi garu, under Sri AMS garu's guidance and visited for 2 days during Dusshera vacation and were very inspired.

Now, we had a great fortune to visit the institute for a week(11th May to 16th May), during summer vacation. We are extremely impressed to see the type of education being imparted on Children at that place, with great love and affection (With high level of discipline).

In Summer, they had organized the classes from 7AM to 1130 AM and again from 530 PM to 930 PM. The schedule is extremely impressive. They focus on Laya and Sruti equally. I felt to share what I have observed there for others benefit.

They divided the music syllabus into 14 quarters. Each child will be promoted to the next quarter, based on their performance.

- Every day they start the class with Sruti sadhana. They use a stop watch to see the lung capacity of EACH child and note down. Next day, they
compare with previous day and identify the gaps. This itself , I found amazing on first day. Group singing is allowed only to a very little extent, but
it is more of individual focused. There are about 50 students in the morning batch (combination of different quarters) and about 15 in the evening
batch (Seniors)


Morning batch :

- Monday, Wednesday and Friday - They primarily focus on Laya(Along with Sruti)

- Here, they start the class with 3-5-7, 4-5-7 and also 4-3 , 8-6 , 1-2-3-4-6-8(Jatis along with Alankaras) in all talas. They make every child
separately to sing. All of them together will sing all the laya exercises, along with alankaras. Any person singing incorrectly is made to write the Jati
and swaram for 5 times and sing for 50 times at home, to enter into next class (And surprisingly, this is followed/ accepted by children too !!! )

- Next, they make children to sing Jatis and bits related to swarakalpanas. Here, they make one person to sing Jati and the next person to sing
swaram. This is very interesting. The cycle goes on with each student. In this method, they ensure that before a kid enters into Keertanas, they
would know how to put swarakalpana, before starting keertanas.

- Then the Sarali, Geetam and batch are made to sing in 1-2-3-4 and Varnam batch students are made to sing in 4-6-8 (Along with metronome).


Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, they primarily forus on Sruti (Along with Laya)

- Here, after Sruti sadhana, children are made to sing Sarali, Janta, Datu, Alankaras, Geetam, Varnam (Depending upon which quarter they are)

- Each student is made to sing his / her new lesson and separate attention is given to each student.

- One aspect which I found very inspiring (And I did not see any where) is, small kids demonstrating varnam, along with kampitas and gamakas. At a very small age, a kid is made to understand the details of varna, which gives lot of confidence.

- Also, children who are in Geetas quarter are made to sing all 32 melakartas (With and without casio) on flat notes. Children who are in varnas batch are made to sing these melakartas with gamakas. Notes have to be written and demonstrated by children only.

Essentially, in this teaching method, Children are learning / singing 95% and teacher is only a guide and correcting the children. Every child is equipped with technology (Voice recorder or ipod or phone etc.,) where they have provision to listen to Guruvugari's rendering and able to note the gamakas and demonstrate accordingly.

I feel it is my sukruta to get associated with Sri AMS garu and his teaching methods.

Saraswathi

vvssaraswathi
Posts: 22
Joined: 22 Aug 2014, 14:14

Re: AMS Easy Methods 2007 CD - Teaching and Learning Methods

Post by vvssaraswathi »

Adding to my previous post, little details on senior batches in the evening too.

Senior batch also consists of 10-14 year old children, who have been learning in this method only for last 3-4 years only !!!

Here, the classes are extremely interesting. Chi Sriram (Son of Sri J Eswar Prasad garu and Smt Chidrupa Lakshmi garu and also a student of Sri AMS garu ) conducts the classes.

Here every person has to sing one varnam and 1 keertana along with new lesson. Also, each person has to take one raga and sing raga and swarakalpana too.

After this, the class is divided into 2 groups. What is really interesting is, this is an every day competition. One group has to ask questions (It can be on theory, ragas, talas, keertanas, muktayis , raga lakshanas etc.,). One group will get only 10 sec to frame and ask questions and the other group will get 20 sec. Good part is , every one in the group has to answer to the same question in a different manner.

This questions can be extremely complex as well. In this way, children are made to think faster and respond back.

Being in music for 3-4 years, all these people in the evening batch are capable of singing at least for 2-3 hours in a kutcheri, at this small age. Very surprising.

It is a very nice and inspiring experience.

Saraswathi

pmantra
Posts: 60
Joined: 17 May 2015, 17:10

Re: AMS Easy Methods 2007 CD - Teaching and Learning Methods

Post by pmantra »

Dear saraswathi garu
ur words are really alluring me to visit that institute and hope I will be there soon.
Actually, thought of taking voluntary retirement in this academic year as there is not much focus to classical music in my dept. But witnessing the end result of summer music camp 2015 of my dept, conducted by guruvugaru sri AMS garu I re- determined to grow up once again with the roots of sri. AMS teaching methodologies and prove the world that yes, yes n yesss!! thats the way I should teach karnataka music to the budding music aspirants of my schools.
This is the right bend for music in my dept.
hope this will never end.
Dr. Prasanna Mantraratnam.

msakella
Posts: 2127
Joined: 30 Sep 2006, 21:16

Re: AMS Easy Methods 2007 CD - Teaching and Learning Methods

Post by msakella »

Chi. Sows. Dr. Prasanna & VVSaraswathi

A unique music-competition is going to be held in our music-institution, Swarabhangima at Secunderabad and the jist of the respective rules of the competition are furnished hereunder. It is desirable to the kids to make them aware of these rules and to witness them possibly for their benefit. amsharma

Carnatic Music (Vocal) mini-concert competition
on 13th & 14th of June 2015, Saturday & Sunday.

1. Eligibility : The competition is for singers below 20 years of age only
(as on 1st June 2015). [Proof of age should be attached]

2. Syllabus :

Part - I : A Varnam has to be sung @ 4,6 & 8 units per beat.
i.e., both Purvangam & Uttarangam should be sung in Chaturashram First Speed,
Trisram Second Speed & Chaturashram Second Speed.

[For this, the participant has to send us a list of three varnams, out of which he/she will select one by lottery at the time of competition]
Duration : 10 mins

Part - II : Rendition of a kirtana with Ragalapana, Neraval & Swarakalpana. The list of kirtanas selected should necessarily be in Khanda Chapu, Mishra Chapu or Trisra gathi Adi thalas only, & of any composer.
[For this the participant has to send us a list of three Kirtanas, out of which he/she will select one at the time of competition by lottery]
Duration : 15 mins

Part - III : The participant will be asked to demonstrate/explain the intricacies & answer theoritical questions related to their performance, by the judges.
Duration : 5 mins
3. Regulations:

(i) Participants have to make their own Shruthi Arrangement.

(ii) Participants will not be disturbed for the total duration of their allotted slot
(i.e., 30 mins).

(iii) There cannot be any pre-decided choices of items either from the judges or
from the participants. Items will be decided only through lottery, on the spot.

(iv) All the specific conditions laid down should strictly be adhered to by all the
participants, failing which the participant will be disqualified.

(v) The decision of Judges is final.

(vi) Applications in the attached format should reach us on or before
1st June 2015 by post or email.

(vii) No accompaniments shall be provided/allowed.

4. Prizes :
(i) Ist prize :- Rs. 5000/- & a full length concert in the next year's
Annual festival of Sampradaya.
(ii) IInd prize :- Rs. 3000/- & a short concert in the next year's
Annual festival of Sampradaya.
(iii) III rd Prize : - Rs. 1000/-

msakella
Posts: 2127
Joined: 30 Sep 2006, 21:16

Re: AMS Easy Methods 2007 CD - Teaching and Learning Methods

Post by msakella »

Even 8 or 9 years back I have held the State wide music-completitions in Karnataka-music-Vocal consecutively for two years on my own in the same manner. But, very sadly, neither from any of the music-colleges nor from any of the music-departments of the Universities even peeped into the premises of these competitions. Even the respective teachers or the Principals or the Heads of the music-departments working in those institutions have become so thick skinned and head strong that none of them ever even feel ashamed for this. This is the state of deteriorating the standards in our great country.

msakella
Posts: 2127
Joined: 30 Sep 2006, 21:16

Re: AMS Easy Methods 2007 CD - Teaching and Learning Methods

Post by msakella »

At present, in the name of teaching music, all the music-teachers have been used to always sing themselves and make the aspirants also follow them in singing. Thus, an illusion has been created and established by them that singing by the teacher followed by the aspirant also singing itself is teaching music and nobody is even aware that this is merely an imitation but not learning music independently along with the needed grammer.

For example, while learning the cycling the balancing must be learnt and felt by the aspirant while cycling only. In the same manner even while learning the driving of a motor-cycle also the inter-relation between the operations of the accelerator and the clutch must be learnt and felt by the asp-irant while driving the motor-cycle only. No teacher can describe such things in words or sentences or teach them to the aspirant. Thus, certain techniques must be felt and learnt by the aspirant only in the process of learning. In the same manner, even in this invisible fine art, music, also the inter-relation of the intricate rhythms and notes must be felt and learnt by the aspirant only while going through the process of learning independently and practically.

To learn such things fast the aspirant has to spend a lot of time independently in the process of learning to get more acquaintance with the subject or the instrument. If it is a cycle or a motor-cycle or a car the aspirant can spend a lot of time in operating the respective instrument to get more acquainmtance with it. But, unfortunately, in learning this invisible music, all these maestros or legends or experts brought out a useless system in which the aspirant must rely upon the teacher and learn when the teacher finds time to sing. Thus, this paved way not only to increase the aspirant’s dependency upon the teacher but also to elongate the process of learning for many years very badly effecting his iinvaluable time, energy and money.

In my extensive research I have thought all these problems of the poor aspirants and found ways and means to make the aspirant work hard independently for hours together with the bearest minimum interference of the teacher. This amazingly made the process very fast and efficient in learning things on his/her own.

When this has very strictly been implemented in training the Swaeroes-kids very recently at Hyderabad under the constant and vigilant supervision of my disciple Chi. Sow. Dr. Prasanna the kids themselves worked a lot and attained amzing standards in singing even the intricate items of music. If this is implemented in all our music-institutions right from the primary level we can produce very highly talented kids in singing even the intricate items of our music most efficiently. amsharma

sastrydevarakonda
Posts: 35
Joined: 20 Jun 2014, 12:19

Re: AMS Easy Methods 2007 CD - Teaching and Learning Methods

Post by sastrydevarakonda »

29-5-2015
Namaste to members of Rasika.org
Iam here to express some of my feelings about the learning part of Veena.

First of all I thank the people who started expressing their views and making more people to understand the system provided by sri AMS garu and get benefitted by many people.

I would like to express some of my findings with the playing of VEENA for the benefit of my ambitious veena colleagues.

As I expressed in my previous post with the fluency over the instrument- that means, the easy flow of hand over the instrument to play any tough notation, which comes with- playing varnas @120 speed supported by laya exercises 3-5-7 and 4-5-7 in chaturasra and thisra gatis, paves way for playing swara kalpana in VEENA.

As I understood that, one has to put up good swara flow in Adiltala, either half (that is 16 swaras in four kriyas) or full avruttam easily is not an easy task, if one can produce easy flow of swaras in Aditalam, that proves his/her good practice.
To my understanding rendering of half avrutam in Aditala can go in any mathematical combination, which can be taken from first version of 3-5-7 in chaturasra gati.
What Iam following is,
i. (Ta ka dhi na Ta a)/ Ta aa aa a + ta ka dhi na + ta dhi ki ta ku. (7 + 4+ 5)
ii. Taa Aaa + Ta dhi ki ta ku + Ta dhi ki ta ku (6 + 5 +5)
The maths may be only the above two, but quite a number of combinations will keep coming as we sing, sing and practise more and more, then play on veena, finally if we can smoothly render 2-3 avruttas ending up with simple muktais, that will give a very good satisfaction.
With the latest recording facilities and with the aid of Matrinomo, if we play and record, we can anlyse and think of doing still a better job.

As Sri AMS garu keep saying Laya practise and Swara practise, builds your confidence.

yes, Iam experiencing practically and enjoying it, and Iam hopeful, that this I will we be doing on the stage with more perfection. Thanks to AMS methods.- Sastry

msakella
Posts: 2127
Joined: 30 Sep 2006, 21:16

Re: AMS Easy Methods 2007 CD - Teaching and Learning Methods

Post by msakella »

Dear brother-member, sastrydevarakonda,

Yes, dear. What you have reiterated in your post about the regular practice of 3-5-7 jatis in Chaturashra-gati and 4-5-7 jatis in Trisra-gati is absolutely true. Yes, the aspirants must, at the first instance, be initiated in very regularly practicing such rhythmical intricacies to get their rhythmical abilities stabilised to proceed further and further independently with very high level self-confidence. Unless the teacher himself/herself is not efficient enough to initiate the aspirant the aspirant himself/herslf cannot do such things.

Even if you go through the http://www.rasikas.org/forums/viewtopic. ... 71#p282771 of ‘Swaeroes’ amazing musical talent of the kids” you will certainly find that these kids of the A-group could attain this high level self-confidence through different kinds of rhythmical exercises hardly just within four or five days only. No doubt, many of the kids, in general, have abundant talents to rise even to such high level complex exercises if an efficient, honest and reliable teacher/guide vigilantly initiates them in a well-planned manner. Mostly, all this lies in the efficiency, honesty and reliability of the teacher. How many music-teachers on the globe, irrespective of their stature, even render these exercise efficiently, at the first instance, and later, ably initiate the aspirants properly? Not even one in thousands globally! But, my disciple, Chi. Sow. Dr. Prasanna, very successfully did it without singing even Sa or Pa or exerting herself for more than 1%. How many of the present teachers can do so?

For example, in the same thread in the 11th post on 20-05-2015. I have made an open appeal to the able and efficient music-teachers not only to produce such talented kids came from such down trodden families in such a short time but also to upload their videos to ‘youtube and to furnish the respective urls in this thread for the benefit of the aspirants. But no music-teacher yet did so. To similar appeals, since last 6 or 7 years, no music-teacher had ever responded positively. That is the efficiency of our music-teachers.

Later, having become amazed by this excellent performance of these kids two noble persons came out open and acknowledged the need to propagate these easy methods extensively. Among them one person had, then and there, announced to donate Rs.5,000/- along with an open appeal to that extent in http://www.rasikas.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=25533 in the General Discussions while all others, having their own conservative, egoistic and regional reservations are merely observing and enjoying the fun. By this scant response we can very easily assess the selfishness and dis-interest in helping our poor kids.

In the same manner, even though Dr. Pappu Venugopalarao truly and truthfully felt his duty and responsibility as the Secretary of the Music Academy in helping the aspirants and tried in the December season 2013 and 2014, twice, by raising the point of discussion about the easy methods in learning our music. But, as the members of the panel are afraid of splling out their own beans, none of them did show any interest in this respect.

Even if we take the scant participation of the members in the thread ‘Music school’ we can very easily assess their dis-interest in this respect. However, having spent my Govt. service as a professional teacher-cheater and realized later, I have my own views in this respect to act accordingly mainly in safeguarding the interests of our kids. amsharma

msakella
Posts: 2127
Joined: 30 Sep 2006, 21:16

Re: AMS Easy Methods 2007 CD - Teaching and Learning Methods

Post by msakella »

Hi all,

Since my entrance into this forum, even though I have very honestly, sincerely and always been striving hard to positively serve and help our kids in saving their invaluable time, energy and money in learning their music through various kinds of easy methods it is very severely heartrending to note that my behaviour has, unfortunately, been found fault and lead to the closure of the genuine thread ‘COMMIT AND DONATE FOR AMS EASY METHODS LEC-DEMO-CHENNAI’. Hence I hereby step out of this forum forthwith. amsharma

thanjavooran
Posts: 2972
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 04:44

Re: AMS Easy Methods 2007 CD - Teaching and Learning Methods

Post by thanjavooran »

Dear AM Sharmaji
The forum will be loosing an able guide. Let us sink all our differences and continue to serve the music society. Presume an hasty decision. Please reconsider.
With regards
Thanjavooran
06 06 2015

msakella
Posts: 2127
Joined: 30 Sep 2006, 21:16

Re: AMS Easy Methods 2007 CD - Teaching and Learning Methods

Post by msakella »

Dear brother-member, thanjavooran,

I am always open to any kind of criticism at any time and place. That is why I am able to openly bring out the barest facts at any time that too to help the poor kids but not for any self-aggrandisement. But, other parties are unable to bear with it and could not come out open to defend themselves, at the least, as they also are aware of their mis-deeds.

In which way the ruling party is a must to any country in the same way the opposition party is also a must. Unless there is constructive criticism there will never be any development at all. Having very closely and practically seen the horrible plight of the poor aspirants and their parents my heart burned unbearably, then and there I gave up even my lucrative artistic life, even after my retirement sat and prayed for a way out and this qualitative AMS Easy methods in learning our music came out from my self criticism only. Thus, each and everybody must invite criticism even for his/her own development.

This kind of closure of this kind of the most genuine thread, ‘COMMIT AND DONATE FOR AMS EASY METHODS LEC-DEMO-CHENNAI’, which is very highly helpful to the kids all over the globe is not at all healthy for our music aspirants or even music. This kind of closure certainly obstructs the healthy development of it. If this closure is removed I have no objection to come and sit with all our brothers and sisters who have all along been bearing with all my odds and ends. amsharma

pmantra
Posts: 60
Joined: 17 May 2015, 17:10

Re: AMS Easy Methods 2007 CD - Teaching and Learning Methods

Post by pmantra »

thanjavooran wrote:Dear AM Sharmaji
The forum will be loosing an able guide. Let us sink all our differences and continue to serve the music society. Presume an hasty decision. Please reconsider.
With regards
Thanjavooran
06 06 2015
Presume a hasty decision.
Kindly be clear whose?

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

Re: AMS Easy Methods 2007 CD - Teaching and Learning Methods

Post by VK RAMAN »

My way or highway does not work in social media. The loser will be the one who quits. This is true of any human interaction irrespective of the level of relations we have including our own biological relations IMHO

pmantra
Posts: 60
Joined: 17 May 2015, 17:10

Re: AMS Easy Methods 2007 CD - Teaching and Learning Methods

Post by pmantra »

Namaskar
who is the winner i dont know but the most productive young carnatic music aspirants will loose if there is no result of the innovative critisism .unfortunately the REAL DOORS OF MANODHARMA WERE CLOSED FOR DECADES TOGETHER. When someone GOT the KEY we are not accepting. The thread might have been locked when the issue was burning. But it has been locked when the issue was solved. This type of locking has given another issue to discuss. Who knows! I am afraid if in future, this thread may be victimised. Rasikas, ofcourse is a great platform but if the admn keeps on locking ( two threads in this connection locked) the realities to the public who is going to help it out? Its the responsibility of every rasika that their contribution, in whatever form, should give fertility to music cultivation. For every developmental cause there is black and white. Two sides of the coin should be known to keep ourselves aware of the realities. And now, if we are not in a position to accept counters or encounters, better not give any OPEN status. Fix a rule that "only praises or applaudings should be posted here".
Just as an instance, Before buying a product, we all will go through customer reviews to know pros and cons.and if there are no reviews, we will just either buy blindly or just loose it in real.
LEARNED LEGENDS say THINK TWICE before you act.
Hope my writings are not taken in negetive sence.
Let we, music teachers give the real success key to the upcoming generations.

vvssaraswathi
Posts: 22
Joined: 22 Aug 2014, 14:14

Re: AMS Easy Methods 2007 CD - Teaching and Learning Methods

Post by vvssaraswathi »

Namaskar.

As Dr Prasanna rightly said, I am also surprised to see that the Lecdem thread was locked when the issue was almost at the resolution. In the first place, let us not call the discussion happened in the lecdem thread as a issue. Of course there were change of opinions between people , but there is no grudge seen against anyone by any other person. That thread was only to see that something good can happen for children with easy methods.

Anyways, my intention is not to extend the lecdem thread here, but definitely it is a great loss if Sri AMS garu leaves this forum.
Also, we all may have to agree to a fact that, even though Rasikas is meant to share happenings in CM, some times, we have to accept the fact that it can be used as constructive criticism, which helps everyone in this forum.

sastrydevarakonda
Posts: 35
Joined: 20 Jun 2014, 12:19

Re: AMS Easy Methods 2007 CD - Teaching and Learning Methods

Post by sastrydevarakonda »

7.6.2015
Namaste to members of Rasika.org
The column under General Discussion “COMMIT AND DONATE FOR AMS EASY METHODS LEC-DEMO-CHENNAI’ which ha been very helpful and useful to the ambitious music aspirants and music learners all over the globe, and that column has been blocked for their own reasons.
As someone expressed ‘there were change of opinions between people , but there is no grudge seen against anyone by any other person’.

That thread was only to see that a proper path of learning would get established and once the learning methods are standerdised and made known to whole the cross-section, the real aspirants would get the best method and be able to derive the benefits.
For any noble cause, which comes to open debate, there will be positive as well as negative criticism, from all those people with their own thoughts, and finally the real/sustainable system will emerge out. For any body who is looking for a healthy future should look for healthy and sportive discussion, only to end up with good answers.

As it is known, with the established way of music learning only very few people are able to derive the results, but the major community not able reach to the mark for want of proper learning system. This has been felt by Sri AMS garu and he debated within himself so much for the solution, and finally with the grace of god, is able to bring out a good system which has been well received by quite a good cross-section, in the society and for the past few years and that has been really helping the real aspirants of the society.

Those who have any questions can get clarified about the system from SriAMS garu, for the benefit of the society, and in-turn let the society get benefited.

Answer never lies in closing the door, only debate with open mind for the welfare of the society brings out the answers. Fortunately the debate reached a good stage where, the system is about to go for open discussion in Chennai, and that would have answered all the points.
So the request for look for open lecture demo, and bring out the successful/useful system to the society. Sastry

sastrydevarakonda
Posts: 35
Joined: 20 Jun 2014, 12:19

Re: AMS Easy Methods 2007 CD - Teaching and Learning Methods

Post by sastrydevarakonda »

12.6.2015
Namaste to members of Rasika.org
The column under General Discussion “COMMIT AND DONATE FOR AMS EASY METHODS LEC-DEMO-CHENNAI’ which ha been blocked for their own reasons.

We all fell very unpleasent for blocking the column, because, through these columns we are able known many things. As far as my knowledge goes, there has always been a good learning cross section for the music, but due to the prevailing system, many gave up and killed their interest.
In most of the occassions, no student is bad, because, when he/she is very serious about music, then only they join for music. But most of the cases, we see, no good musician comes out of any traditional schools, if at all if someone is able to prove himself/herself may he/she is either related/kith and kin of those professional gurus.

Looking into all these facts, Sri AMS garu, felt the responsibility for the good guidance, and he designed a good method which has been proving with good results all over.
The same thing he wanted the system should reach the more aspiring, for which, he has been working hard to bring this closer to the learning community.
In this process, in the interest of society, let the system go for open debate in the music rich society, that will answer the questions and doubts of the society and definitely the needy will avail the opportunity.
So please lift the ban, and let people know about system, let hectic task reach the mass for the healty music rich society- Sastry

pmantra
Posts: 60
Joined: 17 May 2015, 17:10

Re: AMS Easy Methods 2007 CD - Teaching and Learning Methods

Post by pmantra »

- ā no bhadrāḥ kratavo yantu viśvataḥ (1.89.1 rigveda) /
आ नो भद्राः क्रतवो यन्तु विश्वतः /
A no bhadraaH kratavo yantu vishvataH (Let good (thoughts) come from everywhere, from all the world)

We all should have this openness in mind to aquire the best availabe knowledge from the world and no doubt that these ams easy methods are very much helpfull to both the cm aspirants and mentors.
Somehow there was a vacuum here for a few days and we missed your able guidance in this thread sri. AMS garu. There can be a coma (,) but no fullstop for the real learning and that too for generous free guidance in this so called MAYA MOHA PRAPANCHAM.
So please be kind enough to come back for the sake of forthcoming young CM aspirants.
We need your valuable critics n suggessions through which we grew till this extent.
Dr. Prasanna Mantraratnam.

vvssaraswathi
Posts: 22
Joined: 22 Aug 2014, 14:14

Re: AMS Easy Methods 2007 CD - Teaching and Learning Methods

Post by vvssaraswathi »

I agree to Sri Sastry and Dr Prasanna. There are lot of people who are being benefited by Sri AMS garu and his methods.
This music school thread has been very useful to everyone. We are missing his valuable suggestions and constructive criticism.

sastrydevarakonda
Posts: 35
Joined: 20 Jun 2014, 12:19

Re: AMS Easy Methods 2007 CD - Teaching and Learning Methods

Post by sastrydevarakonda »

12.06.2015

Namaste to members of Rasika.org
I have been in learning process of VEENA for quite long time, but when I came under the guidance of Sri AMS garu, he kept asking me few questions, as and when I visit him for guidance, like,

 Are you practicing Varnas – Varnas are with a fixed notation, without thinking you can practise. Yes sir, I started doing,

 Are you practicing Varnam @120, because, fluency over the instument will come only with speed. - Yes, I started doing,

 Though on Veena I found it tough in the beginning, but slowly, I increased and now - I start my day with 120 practise, then Iam feeling very comfortable with his Ragaalapana notation, and enjoy the melody of the notes.

So the need of the hour is, how one should go with it, and what one should pratise to get the real pulse of music, for this one needs good guidance, not the real teaching, but and only the good guidance.

As Dr. Prasanna Mantraratnam rightly expressed, “AMS easy methods are very much helpfull to both the cm aspirants and mentors. And sri. AMS garu your absence in these columns created a vacuum here for a few days and we missed your able guidance in this thread .” So please be kind enough to come back for the sake of forthcoming young CM aspirants. We need your valuable critics and suggessions.

So Sri AMS garu, you are above all these mundane feeling as far as teaching of music is concerned. If some X writes some thing in some of these columns or some one blocks some of the threads for their own reasons, it should not matter for you, and many people are looking forward for your suggestions, it is not one or two, many would get benefited by your valuable suggestions. We look forward for your valuable suggestions. SASTRY

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