AMS Easy Methods 2007 CD - Teaching and Learning Methods

[msakella]

In general, every individual wants to make easy money or recognition or fame or honors etc., etc., irrespective of his abilities or disabilities. In this process he feels extremely happy if anybody helps him in attaining his aim or feels extremely unhappy if anybody obstructs him or create obstructions in attaining his aim. But, being always truthful, honest, sincere, efficient and loyal, I have always been used to act against any unlawful acts and become the enemy of such selfish persons. Many a time, even though I did not even interfere at all in their acts all such people are damn afraid of me always. Even though none has any guts to face me at any time directly they are always used either to victimise me in one concocted incident or other or to allege me in one way or other with a string of lies only to save their skins which is almost impossible. Even now I have a lot of such great friends all around me working day in and day out against me either directly or indirectly right from the first day of my Govt. service in 1961. But, only by the grace of the Almighty, I have been saved every time miraculously fooling all those honourable gentlemen and in one way these acts always helped me a lot in keeping myself always alert and making me more active, bold and powerful than all my friends put together. Even now, in the same manner, even though some selfish fellows are working against me, by the grace of the Almighty, it is otherwise helps me a lot by creating umpteen activities of music by which I am becoming able to prove my methods fool-proof with audio and video-clippings as evidence.

After my retirement, having experimented a lot on teaching methods and also travelled extensively to all the 13 music colleges in our State holding periodical Lec-dems and workshops on Svarakalpana and Ragalapana I, at last, found many of the teachers are reluctant to continue the same process as it increases their work-load. To tell the fact, they do not have the barest workload at all. But, in the absence of any academic supervision since last 50 years, they are always used to teach as they like, whenever they like, whomsoever they like, at their will and pleasure struggling hard even to fulfill the teaching of the compositions leave along Svarakalpana or Ragalapana. I AM NOT EXAGGERATING THE THINGS AT ALL BUT CAN PROVE EACH AND EVERY LETTER AND WORD I WRITE AT ANY TIME WITH EVIDENCES IF ANY AUTHORITY IS READY TO DO THE NEEDFUL TO CURB THE MENACE IN THE HIGH INTEREST OF KEEPING OUR CULTURE IN TACT. Having experienced many bitter things in my life in regard to the umpteen problems of our kids in these music institutions or music departments in the Universities this has become a heart-burning problem to me as a truthful, honest, sincere, efficient and loyal citizen of this land in the absence of any responsible person in sight to curb the manace For example I shall furnish a very few hereunder.

(1) Once a music-teacher in profession also participated in my workshop at Bangalore to learn the rhythmical intricacies and when, as a test, I asked him to sing the Alankaras both in Chaturashra and Trisra-gatis he was unable to do so and replied that his Guru, a stalwart in music, blatantly refused to teach him Trisra-gati in his tutelage. But, with the help of some exercises I could make him sing all the Alankaras both in Chaturashra and Trisra-gatis then and there. In that way his Guru deceived him and then with which name shall I call his so called stalwart-Guru?

(2) Once two aspirants came to me to learn Violin. Among them one is partially blind. They have already learnt Violin in one of the music colleges in our State for 7 years and passed the Diploma examination. When I asked them to play Violin they could not play even any Varna or any Kriti in order leave alone Svarakalpana or Ragalapana. They could not even sing the Alankaras in Chaturashra and Trisra-gatis. All along for 7 years the teachers in the music college promoted them every year to the next year even without teaching them anything properly and, at last, to get rid of them they made them passed the Diploma examination in connivance with the examiners of the examination as these poor students cannot attend the class if they pass the examinatioin. Then with which name shall I call the respective honourable teachers?

(3) In our State there are two music colleges where hostel facilities are also available to the inmates. Taking this advantage many got admitted into these institutions and among them a few are learning very sincerely remaining in the hostel and working very hard. Once when I had been invited to conduct interviews to nearly 300 old students of them who have successfully passed their music examinations from this college I could select only 30 candidates of them who can sing only bare Kritis alone. This obviously reveals the standards of teaching in this music college and with which name shall I call the teachers of these music colleges?

(4) I know many of our co-teachers in these music colleges who were always greedy enough to earn more money in addition to their regular salaries squeezing money even from their class-students even to teach them in their class-rooms. Even then, while they teach a little to the students who had paid additional amounts they teach very little to the students who did not pay any additioinal amounts. With which name shall I call the teachers of these music colleges? amsharma

[msakella]

Dear brother-member, coolkarni, By the grace of the Almighty everything helps me a lot and I do not have any objection to alter the title if it helps the readers not me. amsharma

[msakella]

Most unfortunately, many of our adamant traditionalists are blindfold for being unable not only to recognise any disadvantages of the present system but also any advantages of any novel system. Me too have unnecessarily wasted nearly 15 years of my serivice as Lecturer in Violin by following the suggestions of a senior Vidwan and a reputed teacher but when I could properly introspect myself and rectify some of my defects the results were overwhelming to my surprise. Later, by the grace of the Almighty, I could evolve some novel methods in teaching basing upon the end-result of the aspirants. Even though my abilities were far lesser at that time if compared with my present knowledge of successful teaching, now, I am satisfied a little for having become a successful teacher making this teaching of music TIME-BOUND AND RESULT-ORIENTED. At the same time I sincerely feel that, at least now, even at the fag end of my life, I am able to serve my people properly, honestly, efficiently and reliably in spite of all odds and ends.

It is very important to note that while in Hindusthani music their main rhythmical instrument, Tabla has since long ago been made part and parcel of their syllabi, most unfortunately, in any of the syllabi of our Karnataka music not even Mridanga-jatis have ever been included. In fact, right from the first day of the lesson, prime importance must be given to compulsorily teach different rhythmical exercises to the aspirants to instill confidence and also to increase their intelligence and brilliance of the aspirant. As a Mridangist in my younger age being aware of the intrinsic value of the rhythmical exercises I always insist upon learning all these rhythmical exercises. Real teacher always strives hard not only to give the regular lesson of the subject but also to give the required lessons to sharpen the mental and physical abilities of the aspirant as needed in making him independent in all aspects. In this process of this novel method of teaching the aspirant must become able to learn things on his own beyond Varnas and any inability of the aspirant in this connection obvioulsy reveals the defective teaching of the teacher. In this manner either the aspirant or the parents can easily and obviously adjudge the ability of the teacher to act accordingly and also to save themselves from the defective teachings of the teacher. By all this, the aspirant becomes able to render the intricate rhythmical Jati-kalpana simultaneously even while learning Varnas and, later gradually, becomes able to sing Svarakalpana on his own. Many are not aware that the yardstick to measure the music knowledge imparted by the teacher should, at the least, enable the aspirant sing @ 4, 6 & 8 units of both Poorvanga and Uttaranga of any Varna he learnt along with rhythmical Svarakalpana and brief Ragalapana.

To tell the truth, in any of the music institutions or the music departments of the Universities no such rhythmical exercises are being taught to any of the aspirants. In fact, all these rhythmical exercises are not at all new to any music-teacher and, more over, any music-teacher having the required level of rhythmical instinct can very easily reproduce all these exercises within no time and teach his aspirants. But, in general, as nobody wants to exert himself much to face all these complicated rhythmical intricacies and, more over, as not only many of these music-teachers, in the absence of the high level rhythmical instinct, cannot possibly reproduce this kind of complicated rhythmical intricacies but also it becomes difficult either to find suitable enthusiastic aspirants to teach them or to make them practice rigorously, every music-teacher hesitates to follow this novel method of teaching music. In general, in the absence of the high level instinct of Laya, even many of the aspirants prefer to learn a number of Kirtanas only which are handy to sing either by Radio or Television or in any competition to win prizes etc., than the complicated rhythmical exercises. When there is a traditional customary escape from teaching either Svarakalpana or Ragalapana and when it is easy to manage by teaching a reasonable number of compositions only in the process of making easy money and fame why should any music-teacher bothers about maintaining standards by teaching such difficult rhythmical intricacies to the aspirants. But, any aspirant rigorously trained by his efficient teacher in all these rhythmical intricacies can easily get over any complex problems of pracitcal music and will, no doubt, make a mark in this field within a very short time.

Here, at Hyderabad, some of the enthusiasts have recently started AMS Foundation and are striving hard to propagate these novel methods of teaching music for the benefit of both the aspirants and their parents. Also plans are afoot to open branches in other places like Bangalore, Mysore, Chennai etc., etc., basing upon the availability of local enthusiasts. In this connection, only to prove the efficiency of this novel system of teaching music to the kids I have already uploaded some of the audio and video-files to both http://www.youtube.com/msakella & http://www.esnips.com/web/AMS-Svarakalpana and again some more will be added in near future.

As no music-teacher is ready to loose his income by quickening the process of teaching and also he doesn’t want to give any guarantee of the end-result of his teaching no music-teacher likes to follow this novel system of teaching. However, in spite of all odds and ends, I heartily welcome the honest and loyal teachers to follow this unique method of teaching music and I shall also be very happy if such music-teachers arrange to upload the relevant audio and video-clippings of their students of Vocal or Violin disciplines to prove their efficiency in teaching. amsharma

[msakella]

In our State of Andhra Pradesh, in music, we have Certificate examination of 4 years, Diploma examination of 2 years in all the Govt. Colleges of Music & Dance and B.A.Music of 3 years and M.A.Music of another 2 years in the music departments of the Universities. Among them the teaching of Kritis is started in the 3rd year of Certificate examination arriving at a total of 35 compositions of Kritis etc.,in 35 Ragas in 3rd & 4th years. In Diploma another set of 35 compositons of Kritis etc., in 35 Ragas are taught with a repetition of nearly 25 Ragas of the Certificate examination by which only 10 new Ragas are covered. Again in B.A. Music of 3 years course 43 compositions are taught and all the 43 Ragas, which are already covered in Certificate and Diploma exaiminations, are again repeated. Again in M.A.Music of 2 years course 52 compositions are taught and among them 32 Ragas, which are already covered previously, are repeated again. In all these syllabi, in total, nearly 70 Ragas are covered and among them nearly 40 Ragas are repeated in compositions and 30 Ragas are repeated in respect of Svarakalpana or Ragalapana. This is the statistics of our music syllabi in our State. Except some difference in the number of compositions to be learnt all are same in all the States in respect of syllabi. All the authorities of all the Universities do not have the required knowledge to supervise the teaching amenities of the music departments and such supervision should only be made by professional teachers (but not professional performers). As, the teachers cannot relish such supervision at all by any other teachers, this kind of supervisory set up did never take place at any time. Unless such supervisory section is formulated at all places and proper action is taken to curb this menace, I am afraid, the production of impotents could never be stopped by these institutions. Many will not appreciate this kind of statements but, I can assure that I can very well prove that qualitative teaching is not made in any of these institutions.

I have travelled many places in Karnataka and few places in Tamilnadu holding Lec-dems and workshops on Svarakalpana and Ragalapana and found the same amenities of quantitative teaching are only available everywhere without any exception. But, while in Tamilnadu and Karnataka, as much of the environment is filled with classical music the aspirants are benefitted abundantly by this environment, in our State in a very little environment of music the kids are unable to become potents. amsharma

[valliRCN]

ganesh, I agree with you.

[msakella]

As I am now 71 years old having much teaching and performing experience I would like to bring all my teaching experiences and observations, who have either direct or indirect influence upon our music field, through these columns that they all, without going waste, should benefit my society. For example, I had to invest more than 40 years of my preciousl life towards the extensive research of the rare topic, Talaprastara, as it has never been brought out fully by any author in any century. Howeever, as per their treatises, it has been proved that there are only two persons in the history who are aware of these latent secrets of this Talaprastara but, most unfortunately (may be for me only), did never care to give these secrets to the posterity and they are 1.Parshvadeva of 13 century who had furnished some Talas along with their specific serial numbers in his Sangita Samayasaara (Sanskrit) and 2. Tacchoor Singaracharya Bros., of 1902 who had furnished another set of Talas along with their specific serial numbers. Either their ignorance or negligence did cost 4 decades of my precious life. Had they taken proper care to furnish the details of these latent secrets of Talaprastara in their treatises for the posterity I would not have wasted 4 decades of my precious life. Taking all these things into consideration, at this age, I do not have any desire at all except acting properly and carefully until my last breath in giving out the knowledge I have earned to the posterity with a hope that, though not all, some interested or knowledgeable people act accordingly in preserving our culture in tact. In this process I request one and all to bear with my inconsistent ‘Tenglish’ and do the needful at your earliest convenience only in the high interest of preserving our great culture in tact.

Unless they have the minimum strength of the students in the department of music in any University the section will be closed. As such closure leads to the removal of the members of Teaching staff concerned the respective teachers always try to manage with that minimum number of admissions every year to ensure their regular salaries. Thus, it is a barest truth that many of the respective teachers are much bothered about their salaries and accrodingly they try to admit as many students as they can, irrespective of their abilities, and make only quantitative teaching by teaching only the items of the syllabus but not in giving their students qualitative teaching which paves way in singing Svarakalpana or Ragalapana extensively. They are always used to teach a number of compositions like Ata-tala-varnas or Shyama-Shastry-svarajatis or Navagraha-kritis or Navaavarana-kritis or Panchalinga-sthala-kritis or different Pancharatna-kritis or Melaraga-kritis etc., etc., but not singing the Varnas in other Gatis or rhythmical Svarakalpana or Ragalapana. These teachers are always used to tell that such things must be acquired by constant listening to stalwarts’ music and by heavy practice and possibly try to escape from the responsibility of teaching them efficiently. More over they are never used even to give a perfect plan of practice in this regard. I have evolved a perfect plan of practice to obtain these things and taught to my students at the end of which they became able to sing Varnas in all the different Gatis, intricate patterns of rhythmical Svarakalpana which, later, lead to natural Svarakalpana and Ragalapana. Even though I, even after my retirement, have extensively travelled to all these 13 music colleges in our State for two years and held workshops on Svarakalpana and Ragalapana for 3 days in every two months for both the students and teachers, very few of the teachers have learnt them and using for themselves and still lesser in number of them are teaching them to their students. The same thing happened in respect of all the music Departments of various Universities also. Unless this system of teaching is fully modified giving more importance to teach basics from the beginning to enable the aspirant sing Manodharma Sangita, I am afraid, mostly, impotents are produced by all these Universities and Music Colleges.



Even while framing the syllabus, in general, the standard of the average student is taken into consideration. But, they apply the same rule even to the methods of teaching by concentrating more on the average student only and teaching the minimum. Even in my case, when I have joined duty as Lecturer in Violin in 1961 a well experienced teacher and stalwart in music told me to concentrate upon the average student only. Most unfortunately, I, being the junior most in teaching, have meticulously followed this suggestion for more than 15 years and successfully shaved many of my poor students. However, very few of them were fortunate enough somehow to escape from me and became successful accompanists only to participate in the junior-concerts until their life time. Later, that too with great introspection, I could evolve a system of teaching to come out of this hell and started getting successful results by mainly concentrating upon the talented students only and giving the average student what he deserves. Any sytem must be adjudged basing upon the end-result and, now, basing upon the successful results I have been getting without any failure at all, I can declare this system of teaching music is far reliable than any other system.

While there are one or other training units even for clerk-posts in our country we do not have any such training units for music-teachers in our country. Even if there is only one such Teachers’-training-unit attached to the Music Academy, Chennai I found the standards are very poor when I have given one Lec-dem in that Institution.

Always it is healthy to appoint a medical Doctor either as Director or Deputy Director or even Assistant Director in the Department of medicine to look after the needs of the Department and if these officers work sincerely and efficiently that Department flourishes well. But, most unfortunately, right from the inception of these music institutions in 1961, even though, such channel has never been arrnaged and no musician has ever been appointed in any of the above posts, many a time the Asst. Directors or Deputy Directors of the Department have been put on additional-chanrge for the post of Principal, Music College which helped only to deteriorate the standards drastically.

In general, in the interviews held for the selection of music teachers, the members of the selection committee are always used to ask the candidates to sing or play the items along with some Svarakalpana and Ragalapana just like in the audition-test of All India Radio which is suicidal to a teachers’ post. Even though, with my vast experience, I have made a list of questions to be asked in such cases and sent to the Head of the Department, those Heads (not Heads but tails), in the absence of any music knowledge at all, have thrown this list into waste basket and conducted interviews successfully selecting many inefficient candidates. More over, the reservation policy adds fuel to the fire.

Once, being as a member on the selection committee to select music-teachers, when we all the members unanimously failed a candidate giving zero marks to that candidate, most surprisingly, this candidate was appointed as a teacher on ‘reservation-basis’ and started shaving all the students in which way I did in the beginning of my service. Unless the appointments of Doctors or Engineers or Lawyers or Teachers are made basing upon their merit only and are exempted from the ‘Reservation-policy’ our country cannot flourish at all.

Unlike in the ancient days, the music and dance have become independent subjects and they need independent institutions either for music or dance. But, the authorities, having no knowledge of these subjects, do not want to separate them but appoint either a musician or a dancer as a Principal by which either of the opposite disciplines suffer without supervision in the absense of even the overall supervision. Presently, in the Colleges of Music & Dance, depending upon the number of various disciplines, while there are mainly 5 disciplines, 1.Vocal 2.Veena 3.Violin 4.Mridangam and 5.Dance, among them 3 disciplines are of music. While these 3 discipines suffer without supervision by the appointment of a dancer as a Principal only one discipline of dance suffers by the appointment of a musician as a Principal.

Once, when I was working as the Principal of the Music college, I met a friend, a music-teacher working in the Education Department and, inquisitively, asked him to giv e me a copy of the syllabus he follows in his school. To my great surprise he told me that he never conducts any music class at all but regularly attends the bill-preparing work entrusted by his Head-master. But, later, after few months, I was shocked when he was declared as the recipient of the Best-teacher-award of that District and again stunned when he was again declared as the recipient of the Best-teacher-award of our State itself. Of course, this is common in our country irrespective of any title or any award or any honour which disourages the sincere and efficient teachers.

In respect of the novel methods in teaching music, it has been proved beyond any doubt, that only one year duration of efficient teaching is more than enough if the vocal-aspirant is of the age between 5 & 10 years and with the needed Laya-instinct, grasping ability and regular hard work of minimum 2 hrs. daily upto Gitas, 4 hrs. upto Varnas and 6 hrs. after Varnas. After learning much of the main techniques the aspirant must continue his practice for 3 to 4 years to become a junior-concert-artist. Now, on these lines, more than 30 aspirants are being trained here in rendering the intricate rhythmical exercises and rhythmical Svarakalpana and their video-clippings are already uploaded to ‘youtube.com/msakella’. Many think that rendering of such rhythmical exercises is very easy but do not know that it is not that easy as they think and this itself paves way to sing natural Svarakalpana, Niraval and Ragalapana. I have accompanied many A-grade and Top-grade musicians who cannot render even Tala to many of these rhythmical patterns of Svarakalpana leave alone singing them on their own. In this novel method of teaching initiating the aspirant to work on his own is very important and the required knowledge will be imparted to the aspirant by the teacher. amsharma

[sadvimarsha]

ms akella sir, Can I take an advice from you about a research topic in Carnatic Music. I felt you are the right person. I have thought of doing a research on Notations in Carnatic Music in comparison with Western and if possible Hindusthani styles too. would this be possible? I wanted to take a practical subject so that I improve my skills along with the research. Please help me.

[msakella]

Dear brother-member, sadvimarsha, Yes, dear. I have already made extensive research on Talaprastara and symbolised notations of our Karnataka music. As two or three persons are already working on Talaprastara for their Ph.Ds., you can take symbolised Karnataka notations for you research and I shall certainly help you in this matter. You can contact my ID <msakella2002> either on Yahoo Messenger or Skype and speak to me in this connection. amsharma

[sadvimarsha]

Thank you so much Akella Sir. May I have your mail ID. Regards

[msakella]

Dear brother-member, sadvimarsha, My email address is msakella2002@yahoo.co.in. amsharma

[msakella]

Hi all, In the 59th post of this thread 20 Nos. of Special Rhythmical Exercises (SRE) are furnished for the benefit of the aspirants. Among them some are also furnished either in the audio-files in my CD, AMS Easy Methods-2007 (EM) or video-files in <youtube.com/msakella> under the playlist of either AMS-Laya exercises (LE) or AMS-Kids’ Svarakalpana (KS) and the details are furnished hereunder. Aspirants can tally the respective audio or video-files as per the abbreviations furnished and properly utilise them for their guidance. Any doubts can be brought out through these posts for any needed help. amsharma
SRE-01 - LE-1 & EM-005 to 011;
SRE-02 - LE-2, KS-17 & EM-124,125 & 126;
SRE-03 - LE-4 & KS-16;
SRE-04 - LE-5;
SRE-07 - LE-3 & EM-127;
SRE-10 - KS-15, EM-128, 129 & 130;
SRE-11 - KS-14;
SRE-13 - LE-6, KS-18 & EM-132 to 138 & 39 to 145;
SRE-16 - EM-146 to 152;
SRE-18 - KS-1 & 13;
SRE-19 - KS-12.

[msakella]

Hi all, In the 59th post of this thread I have furnished 20 Nos. of Special Rhythmical Exercises (SREs) and in 161st post I have also furnished the respective details of the audio or video-files uploaded. But, as usual, I did commit a mistake by forgetting to include three more numbers of the same SREs in that list. In fact, nowadays, many a time I feel to keep mum as I have been committing many mistakes of one kind or other. But, at the same time I again feel that, irrrespective of my disabilities to do things properly, I, as an experienced person, must bring the things to the notice of our aspirants not only to keep them aware of the things but also to make them knolwedgeable. So, now, I furnish hereunder the entire list of 23 Nos. of SREs along with the respective references of the audio or video files. I request the aspirants to go through and tally all of them with the references and also kindly to bring any short-comings to my notice for making further connection as, from the beginning, my life has always become to correct the things already done. If any more audio or video files are needed for definition I shall try to do the needful if any aspirant requires. amsharma
SPECIAL RHYTHMICAL EXERCISES
(EM:AMS Easy Methods-2007; LE:AMS-Laya exercises & KS:AMS-Kids’ Svarakalpana of ‘youtube.com/msakella’ playlists) (k-ki; t-ta; t-tha; k-ka; d-dhi; m-mi; g-gi; n-na)
=========
01.7 Jati-alankaras should be rendered @ 4-units, i.e., k-t-t-k per second rendering k-t for each Talaanga of the right hand followed by t-k with in-between beats of the left hand (EM-005 to 011; LE-1).

02.3 kinds of Trisra (t-k-t of 3), Khanda (t-k-t-k-t of 5) and Mishra (t-k-t-k-t-k-t of 7) breaks should be rendered @ 4-units per second in Adi-tala of Chaturashra-gati rendering the Tala with the right hand and in-between beats with the left hand (EM-124, 125 & 126; LE-2; KS-17).

03.3 kinds of Trisra (3), Khanda (5) and Mishra (7) breaks should be rendered @ 8-units per 2 seconds in Adi-tala of Chaturashra-gati rendering the Tala with the right hand and in-between beats with the left hand (LE-4; KS-16).

04.3 kinds of Trisra (3), Khanda (5) and Mishra (7) breaks should be rendered @ 8-units per 2 seconds in Adi-tala of Chaturashra-gati rendering the Tala with the right hand only (LE-5).

05.7 Jati-alankaras should be rendered @ 8-units per 2 seconds rendering Tala with the right hand and in-between beats with the left hand.

06.7 Jati-alankaras should be rendered @ 8-units per 2 seconds rendering Tala with right hand only.

07.Rendering of all Chaturashra-jatis in Adi-tala of Chaturashra-gati running @ 4-units per second rendering the Tala with the right hand and in-between beats with the left hand but ending each Avarta with one Khanda-jati thus having a protruded unit every time in the beginning of the next succeeding cycle of Tala (EM-127; LE-3).

08.Rendering of all Chaturashra-jatis in Adi-tala of Chaturashra-gati running @ 8-units per 2 seconds rendering the Tala with the right hand and in-between beats with the left hand but ending each Avarta with one Khanda-jati thus having a protruded unit every time in the beginning of the next succeeding cycle of Tala.

09.Rendering of all Chaturashra-jatis in Adi-tala of Chaturashra-gati running @ 8-units per 2 seconds rendering Tala with the right hand only but ending each Avarta with one Khanda-jati thus having a protruded unit every in the beginning of the next succeeding cycle of Tala.

10.3 kinds of Chaturashra (k-t-t-k of 4), Khanda (5) and Mishra (7) breaks should be rendered @ 3-units per second in Adi-tala of Trisra-gati rendering Tala with the right hand only (EM-128, 129 & 130; KS-15).

11. 3 kinds of Chaturashra (4), Khanda (5) and Mishra (7) breaks should be rendered @ 6-units per 2 seconds in Adi-tala of Trisra-gati rendering the Tala with the right hand and in-between beats with the left hand (KS-14).

12.3 kinds of Chaturashra (4), Khanda (5) and Mishra (7) breaks should be rendered @ 6-units per 2 seconds in Adi-tala of Trisra-gati rendering the Tala with the right hand only.

13.Rendering of all Trisra-jatis in Adi-tala of Trisra-gati running @ 3-units per second rendering the Tala with the right hand but ending each Avarta with one Chaturashra-jati thus having a protruded unit every time in the beginning of the next succeeding cycle of Tala.

14.Rendering of all Trisra-jatis in Adi-tala of Trisra-gati running @ 6-units per 2 seconds rendering the Tala with the right hand and in-between beats with the left hand but ending each Avarta with one Chaturashra-jati thus having a protruded unit every time in the beginning of the next succeeding cycle of Tala.

15.Rendering of all Trisra-jatis in Adi-tala of TrIsra-gati running @ 6-units per 2 seconds rendering Tala with the right hand only but ending each Avarta with one Chaturashra-jati thus having a protruded unit every time in the beginning of the next succeeding cycle of Tala.

16.7 Jati-alankaras should be rendered @ 4 & 3-units per second rendering Tala with right hand only (LE-6; KS-18).

17.7 Jati-alankaras should be rendered @ 8 & 6-units per 2 seconds rendering Tala with the right hand and in-between beats with the left hand.

18.7 Jati-alankaras should be rendered @ 8 & 6-units per 2 seconds rendering Tala with the right hand only.

19.7 Jati-alankaras should be rendered @ 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 & 8-units per Kriya running @ 4-units per second.

20.7 Jati-alankaras should be rendered @ 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 & 8-units per Kriya running @ 8-units per 2 seconds.

21.Rendering of only one Jati of 5-units in the 2nd degree of speed in the beginning of Khanda-chapu-tala running @ 4-units per second and all Jatis of 4-units consecutively. Selected muktayis of lower-tempo should be rendered to the odd-number of starting point in the medium-tempo (while Jatis should only be rendered in respect of the candidates pertaining to Dance and Percussion disciplines Swaras should also be sung by the candidates pertaining to Music) (KS-1 & 13).

22.Rendering of only one Jati of 7-units in the 2nd degree of speed in the beginning of Mishra-chapu-tala running @ 4-units per second and all Jatis of 4-units consecutively. Selected muktayis of lower-tempo should be rendered to the odd-number of starting in the medium-tempo (while Jatis should only be rendered in respect of the candidates pertaining to Dance and Percussion disciplines Swaras should also be sung by the candidates pertaining to Music) (KS-12).

23.Rendering of easy muktayis both in terms of Jatis and respective Svaras for the Kritis in Rupaka, Khanda-chapu, Chapu, Adi (medium-tempo), Adi (slow-tempo) and Adi (Trisra-gati).

[eswara prasad]

Jai Sitaram!
I, Eswara Prasad, take pleasure in introducing myself to all fellow rasikas. We are ardent followers of the Music Systems - AMS Easy Methods - being propagated by Shri Akella Mallikarjuna Sharmaji. My son Master J.S.Sriram is the disciple of Shri AMS Sir. Further, it is our experience that children are in a position to learn the nuances early, if taught in this style. Therefore, we have started teaching in this style, and conducted an intensive course in this summer, exactly for 45 days. It was amazing to see Children highly inquisitive and forthcoming to learn things perfectly. The result of this effort was presented to an invited august audience on the 4th June, 2009 at Hyderabad. A detailed report of the programme is placed below. I request the rasikas to bless the children to scale higher heights.
Regards, Yours, J.S.Eswara Prasad, Hyderabad. Jai Sitaram


A wonderful show of Laya by children

Very often we find a group of children, youth or elders of presenting cine songs or light music songs only. But, it was an amazing evening of 'Rhythm' at Sri Thyagaraya Gana Sabha, Hyderabad.

‘An Evening of Swara - Laya Vinayasa’ by Tinytots (between 7 - 13 years of age), was a programme organised by AMS Foundation, a new and upcoming organisation, in coordination with Sri Thyagaraya Gana Sabha, Hyderabad on 4th June, 2009.

AMS Foundation profoundly believes and propagates Karnataka Sangeetha Sadhana basically with Rhythm Orientation right from inception, because ‘Laya’ instills tremendous confidence and sharpens the brilliance & intelligence in the ardant aspirants. This experiment by AMS Foundation, Hyderabad has started bearing fruits.

It was astounding to witness, thirty plus number of students presenting:

i) ‘Jati Alankaras’ @ 4 & 3 Units per second; i.e., Chaturashra & Trisra gatis.
ii) Trisra, Khanda & Mishra Jati Breaks in Adi Tala in Chaturashra Gati
iii) Khanda Break at the end of Adi Tala in Chaturashra gati
iv) 4, 5 & 7 (Chaturashra, Khanda & Mishra Breaks) in Adi Thalam-Trisra gati and also Chaturashra Break at the end of Trisra-gati Adi Thalam
v) Mohana Geetham sung @ 2, 3 & 4 Units per second.

This was all a treat to watch, 30 and odd children performing these difficult exercises in unison without missing rhythm at any part of the exercise.

Simply Exemplary - A rare feat

Then, 16 students presented Natakuranji Varnam @ 4, 6 & 8 Units per second, which is considered to be a tough ask, but ably executed.

It is reported that these children, have not even completed five Varnams; but, have demonstrated another superb show of Presenting Swarakalpana, each one preceded by Jatees, in Rupakam; Khandachapu; Mishrachapu; Trisra Adi and Chaturashra Adi Thalas; and moreso, each one in Khanda-jati, Divya Sankeerna-jati, Mishra-jati and Sankeerna-jati. In essence, all showing up intricate patterns, with keertanas starting from odd places in the Tala cycle, which makes it intensely difficult. This is a scholarly act, scarcely touched even by seasoned artistes; but here performed amazingly by kids.

The programme later concluded with a few famous devotional pieces, viz. ‘Rama Kodandarama’ in Bhairavi of Tyagaraja; ‘Paluke Bangaramayena’ of Ramadasa; a few Annamacharya keerthans and a Bhajan.

The whole programme was conceptualised by renowned musician Sri Akella Mallikarjuna Sharma, Chairman/AMS Foundation; and ably trained and conducted by Smt.Chidrupa Lakshmi Eswara Prasad, supported by Master J.S.Sriram. The master mind behind the programme was Sri J.S.Eswara Prasad, Coordinator/AMS Foundation.

This programme was not drawn with an idea to find a place on the Guinness Book of World Records. However, the rare feat performed by the kids in this programme has not been exhibited at any time and at any place. This is to enlighten society and motivate other children to take to Karnataka Sangeetham and in presenting themselves in stunning colours. This is the only beginning. As connoisseurs of Karnataka Sangeetham, let's all come together to help our children to blossom in their early years itself, to surge ahead in the easy but sure way. Because, we did find that children learn very fast if shown the sure way.

All the items presented above are being uploaded to both "youtube.com/msakella" and "esnips.com/web/AMS-Kid's Svarkalpana", for the benefit and blessings of Sangeetha Rasikas at large, through the following files.


04-06-2009_01._jati-alankaras_@_4 &_3_units_per_second.
04-06-2009_02._3,_5_&_7_breaks_and_ending_each_cycle_with_5_units_in_adi_chaturashra_gathi_eka_kala.
04-06-2009_03._3,_5_&_7_breaks_and_ending_each_cycle_with_5_units_in_adi_chaturashra_gathi_dwi_kala.
04-06-2009_04._4,_5_&_7_breaks_and_ending_each_cycle_with_4_units_in_adi_trisra_gathi_eka_kala.
04-06-2009_05._4,_5_&_7_breaks_and_ending_each_cycle_with_4_units_in_adi_trisra_gathi_dwi_kala.
04-06-2009_06._Mohana_geetham_@_2,_3_&_4_units_per_second.
04-06-2009_07._Natakuranji_varnam_@_4,_6_&_8_units_per_second.
04-06-2009_08._jathi_muktayees_and_swarakalpana_in_Rupakam_for_Siddhivinayakam_at_an_odd_starting_point.
04-06-2009_09._jathi_muktayees_and_swarakalpana_in_Khanda_Chapu_for_Marivere_at_an_odd_starting_point.
04-06-2009_10._jathi_muktayees_and_swarakalpana_in_Mishra_Chapu_for_Prakkala_Nilabadi_at_an_odd_starting_point.
04-06-2009_11._jathi_muktayees_and_swarakalpana_in_Trishra_Adi_for_Birana_Varalicchi_at_an_odd_starting_point.
04-06-2009_12._jathi_muktayees_and_swarakalpana_in_Adi_for_Subrahmanyena_Rakshitoham_at_an_odd_starting_point.

-- Jai Sitaram

[msakella]

In the post 163 dt.14-06-2009 Shri J.S.E.Prasad furnished the details of video-clippings of the Kids’ amazing performance of intricate Jatis and its Svarakalpana took place on 04-06-2009 at Shri Tyagaraya Gana Sabha, Hyderabad which are uploaded to ‘youtube.com/msakella’ and also requested the forumites to bless these kids to scale higher hights but in vain.


When these 30 kids between 7 and 17 years of age have completed three Varnas in Natakuranji, Kambhoji and Darbar and started learning the 4th Varna in Shankarabharana, I have simultaneously started training them in rendering the Special Rhythmical Exercises in November, 2008. As they all are studying in regular schools at that time they are able to practice only one hour daily upto 15th May, 2009 under my guidance and the tutelage of Smt. Chidrupa Lakshmi Eshwara Prasad and her son Chi. Shriram. From then onwards, taking the advantage of the summer vacation of the general schools, Shri J.S.Eshwara Prasad took special interest in all the aspirants and formulating a well-planned time-table both for Juniors and Seniors (furnished hereunder), he pursued them to make all of them work hard daily for more than 6 hours at the end of which they all have successfully rendered all the intricate Jatis and respective rhythmical Svarakalpana under military discipline in the group-concert arranged on 04-06-2009 at Hyderabad. Now, some of them are also heading towards singing brief Ragalapana of Shankarabharana which will later be uploaded to the same website within a short time. By all this it will be proved that, though not adults, the kids could very easily be moulded to enable them render even such intricate rhythmical Svarakalpana along with Ragalapana within a span of hardly 8 months by well-planned training methods. Interested people who can believe this can follow this system and get benefited, the people who cannot believe can test the efficiency of these kids (if they are so efficient to test them) and the people who do not want either to believe it or to support it need not read this post at all.


While many of our musicians are mainly performers and also used to teach the aspirants approached them to earn some money even in their lean period, I am, mainly a teacher and also used to perform to earn money. While a performer is interested only in performing what he can a teacher has to make his student just a replica of him in doing things. There is vast difference between doing things on his own in which way one can and in making others do things just like a replica. That is why even after having given up my entire performing-artist-life long long ago 15 years back, now, I am interested only in training our kids in a time-bound programme yielding good results and, by the grace of the Almighty, I have been getting fantastic results and needed support from many interested people to continue this process successfully. Now, in the past 8 months we have already shaped 30 kids enabling them sing Svarakalpana and Ragalapana and 20 more enthusiastic kids are in queue for training. If anybody feels that I am spoiling all these kids in this process can as well come here, work hard against us and successfully stop this process. At no point I like to enter into any kind of dialogue with insencible people as it is a waste of time and energy. amsharma.

[manjunath]

Akellaji,
I feel it is relavent to refer your student Vinayrahul here. Where is he today? you couldnot bring up a boy who has sacrificd more than a decade of his child hood for learning carnatic music and who has a proven record . Today you are talking about 30 talented other children who spent time in holidays with music. What a joke . Do you think you are a true GURU? Please do not dump on almighty. What do you think , a commitd boy or the holidy spenders do better ? It is again poven that you are a in sensible person. You always thinks you have succeded in life by writing books. That is not the success. Succss is that , when your words and acts gets true with practice. You are begging for the support for the children who just learned for two/ three months . What a shame less act and menatality . If all the teachers in canatic music starts challenging about their methods, where should these kids go and learn? And you feel you are serving the soceity with challengs. The true Guru is the one who accepts the good and weaknss of his disciples and support them by guiding to do the best. And you are not that . You always write or thinks negative about peopleand teachers in your postings. What are you exactly? why you expects answers from public for you and your supporters tom and gery postings?. You will not answere people properly when rquired and you expects people to answere you. Though you are capabl of answering, You are not answering many quiries in the forum except promoting you and your methods. You should also keep in mind , it is not akellas' methods contributed much to carnatic music till date and it is the sacrrifies of the lives of many musuicians in the country with commitment , without ego and expectations. You do not have commitment and you have only ego and expectations towrads your works. Without Akella's methods also carnatic music can live and let the people answer quiries when interested in the topic. It is not compluson , if you are free, we should also make our selves free.You talk negative always about all teachers charging money and you support a family and their kids charging for teaching music by following your methods. Are your suppoteres not charging money for teaching music ? Are they doing it for fee of cost for social cause? Is it ok! Even their children can teach music to others and make money if they follow you. You will not accept other teachers charging money and you agree your supporters children teaching to other kids and making money for their family. Is it not the art of making money? What a committed team Akella ji?

[Nick H]

I wish you would stop your tirade, or take it elsewhere.

It is utterly tedious and boring.

Thanks.

[msakella]

Dear brother-member, nick H, I also wish the same like you. In fact, I truly feel ashamed of being a musician in this particular context. We people are always used to deal with the holy compostions of the Saint-composers but, at the same time, it looks very nasty to quarrel with each other like street dogs. God alone should save the musicians. amsharma

[manjunath]

Akellaji, This is what happening time and again. If you and your team doing honest job , without charging money and it has difference from other teachers just answer. if not explain the difference between other teachers and your team . When you are in a open forum , you must consider both negative and positive discussions equally and answer. If you escape and divert topic, is
not correct. See the challenge you made on the gamkas thread. O.K!, we will accpet that you are right on the topic. Even if you are right , doing these kind of challenges is the gentel man act or ?

your challenge is,
**OK. At this juncture, now, to put a full-stop to all such insencitive gossips, I am compelled to make an open challenge. I shall pay an amount of one Lakh rupees to a mediator and any Karnataka musician, who wants to prove these 60 symbolised Gamakas are not required for the learning of carnatic music, also has to pay only an amount of fifty thousands of rupees to the same mediator. Later, a convenient date will be fixed and in an open meeting on that date to be held at Hyderabad with local Vidwans in our Karnataka music, I shall demonstrate all these 60 facets of oscillations and prove that each one of them is essential for the learning of Karnataka music and the opponent also has to demonstrate all these 60 facets of oscillations and prove that they are not required for the learning of carnatic music. If I fail the opponent gets the entire amount of one Lakh and fifty-thousand rupees from the mediator and if he fails I shall get the entire amount. Any person who is interested in participating in this contest contact me through these columns. amsharma. **---

So you expect now musicians should come on the street and fight like street dogs just to prove that you are right. Now, who is first on the street? Akellaji, Like en number of raagas in music , A musician can imply as many gmakas as he thinks in the process of his performance when he reach to the level of highest maturity. If you start thinking on gamakas and oscillations ,it is not 60 , you get even hundreds and hundreds. You are writing and counting these , and others not. This depends on the capacity of an individuals strength ,knowledge and its utilisation. whether to use it or not also the indivuals intrest. Still, with minimum gamaks and oscillations a matured musician can present himself better.

[srikant1987]

Still, with minimum gamaks and oscillations a matured musician can present himself better.

[vasanthakokilam]

manjunath: Your single minded objective to always say negative things and bait people for a verbal fight with you is quite tiring. Could you please conduct this conversation by email please? Thanks.

[ganesh_mourthy]

i wish the same too.

[ganesh_mourthy]

besides I am too curious . Mr.Manjunath, are you a musician? a violinist? the difference between you and Mr.Akellaji is we all know who he is , the level he has reached in music and not have even an iota of knowledge who you are , the pupose of your allegiance to carnatic music and to this forum.

An identifiable person and one ghost member throwing stones at him at random times not dislosing his credentials.

[manjunath]

The concerned person is not answering and u r diverting the topic. WHY YOU THINK NEGATIVE ALWAYS LIKE AKELLA .Nothing as such u think, and you can write to me on may forum email ID with your contact numbers and will dscs more.

[ganesh_mourthy]

Oh you want me to be your confederate??

I am nothing to do with both Akella sir and you.

so spare me.

I just thought it is unsrupulous to throw stones at a person hiding behind an illusionary name ,that is all.

[Nick H]

Deleted.

If I join in the mud slinging, then I get muddy too.

A lesson I would do well to remember more often before posting on the internet.

[bilahari]

DNFTT, remember.

[Nick H]

Indeed

[ganesh_mourthy]

dnftt? code words


Ganesh

[msakella]

In general, either in teaching or learning, initiating the aspirant work on his own is more important than direct teaching by the teacher. In any other general subject, while only the study of that particular subject is enough, in music, the practical music is more essential than its theory and this practical music is linked with heavy and strenuous physical practice of it. So, in respect of this art, Music, than mere study of the theory, it is more relevant to initiate the aspirant much to proceed on his own with his regular and strenuous practice. Even though the aspirant commits many mistakes in this process of initiation, it helps him a lot in becoming independent.

For example, in learning cycling, even though the teacher catches hold of the cycle while the aspirant is cycling, the aspirant could learn the very important balancing of the cycle on his own only when the teacher leaves the cycle from his hold. By any chance if the aspirant offers the teacher 10$ for each session of a couple of hours to hold his cycle when he cycles, there is every scope of the teacher, without leaving off the cycle, prefers only to catch hold of the cycle perennially not to loose the income of 10$. In the same manner, even in respect of learning music, the aspirant learns efficiently only when he works on his own which is possible when the teacher initiates him do things on his own. So, not to loose any income, the music-teacher prefers to elongate the process of teaching either a number of Varnas or a number of compositions of different composers in different languages on the pretext of teaching the real Bhaava of a Kriti. In fact, the technicalities of the different oscillations of notes should be demonstrated and defined by an efficient teacher while teaching Varnas only. If all the intricacies of either Shruti or Laya are imparted to the aspirant even before the completion of Varnas the aspirant has to work hard for years on his own to enter into and swim in the ocean of Bhaava which take years of his life. That is why I truthfully tell that a period of one year is far more than enough to impart all the intricate technicalities of either Shruti or Laya to the aspirant and later the teacher need not teach but guide the aspirant occasionally.


In our Karnataka music, a number of items like Saralee-swaras, Jata-swaras, Datu-swaras, Alankaras, Geetas, Svarapallavis, Svarajatis, Varnas, Kritis etc., etc., are furnished to teach the aspirant only to elongate the process of teaching which helps more in earning money but not to make a time-bound and result-oriented plan to enable the aspirant either to write notation of any composition on his own or to sing notated composition on his own along with even easy rhythmical Svarakalpana and brief Ragalapana.


While text books are invariably supplied for any subject in any College or University on earth, no such text books have ever been supplied either for practicals or theory of Karnataka music in any music college or in the Department of music of any of our Universities. Most surprisingly, even the teaching staff working there declares proudly that it is not at all possible or also healthy to supply such text books for music as this is a practical subject. More over, in all these institutions, even among the teachers of the same discipline each one of them prefers to teach his own notation of the same composition. Even if the composer himself composed his composition with a single notation, funnily and sorrowfully, our great teachers working even in the same institution are never bothered to come to an understanding in teaching a single notation to the aspirants at the least. In general, our music teachers are not bothered in supplying any notated and printed books of Kritis to their students only to make them dependents upon them. Even if a very few of them give bare notation with minimum general symbols they are not at all supplied along with any pre-recorded cassettes or CDs which help the aspirants a lot. In one way the teaching Staff reign the music departments supreme in the absence of any kind of supervision at all since the inception. As this is purely a practical subject the aspirants are supposed to keep mum even if they are not taught properly lest they will certainly be failed in their examinations unanimously by their respective teachers conniving with each other and with the examiners. Even though each and every letter and word written here is very true all the teachers, even without any exception, hue and cry aloud against this. In fact, this is a heart-burning problem since many years which has very badly been affecting all our kids irrespective of any place. But, as there is much music environment in Tamilnadu the aspirants there are very less affected. Even in Karnataka State, though less than Tamilanadu, the aspirants are less affected as there is even reasonable environment in the absence of any Govt. Music Institution. But, in Andhra Pradesh, in a very less music environment and, adding fuel to the fire, in the absence of any academic supervision on the 13 Govt. Music Insitutions since last 50 years the aspirants are very badly affected and even the Diploma holders or the Graduates in music or even the post-gradutas in music are imparting only music compositions but not music knowledge at all leading to the impotency in music. Even if all the teachers are well paid the loyal, sincere, impartial and efficient teachers among them could be counted on fingers only. In all the music colleges and the music departments of all the Universities only quantitative-teaching is being made but not qualitative-teaching at all in respect of our Karnataka music.

Very recently, for the first time in the history of our Karnataka music, only after three years of submission by the respective author, three text books for theory (but not for Practicals at all, of course) both for Certificate and Diploma examinations of our State have been printed and kept open for sales with great difficulty and this remarakable event must be celebrated by giving the ‘Life-time-achievement’ award to the Telugu University, Hyderabad.

[Rasika911]

In our Karnataka music, a number of items like Saralee-swaras, Jata-swaras, Datu-swaras, Alankaras, Geetas, Svarapallavis, Svarajatis, Varnas, Kritis etc., etc., are furnished to teach the aspirant only to elongate the process of teaching which helps more in earning money but not to make a time-bound and result-oriented plan to enable the aspirant either to write notation of any composition on his own or to sing notated composition on his own along with even easy rhythmical Svarakalpana and brief Ragalapana.

So purandaradasa, pattnam subramaniya iyers ect. composed all the the varsais and varnams just to help music teachers make money?
Msakella sir, what was the method your gurus used to teach you? You have reached a great level because of this method. Faster is not better.

Some people will never learn anything, because they understand everything too soon. ~Alexander Pope


I really admire aspects of your teaching such as the rythmical exercises and just as I start to repsect what you are doing you make such idiotic comments.

[msakella]

Dear brother-member, Rasika911, We go to the market to purchase the rice, pulses, vegetables, oils, ghee, curd etc., etc., only to make a process of cooking them at the end of which we get a delicious meal. Unless we make a process of cooking we cannot eat them as they are. If we won’t get a delicious meal at the end there is no use of taking the trouble to go to the market, purchase these things, bring them home and cook. In the same manner, in our music, Manodharma-sangita is the ultimate to get like a delicious meal to get at the end. Our ancestors have furnished a graded list of compositions to learn in the process of getting the ultimate Manodharma. In general, all the teachers are teaching a good number of all these compositions to the aspirants but ultimately the aspirants are not becoming able either (1) to write any composition in notation or (2) to sing any notated composition or (3) to sing either Svarakalpana or (4) to sing Ragalapana on their own. Then what for they are teaching all these compositions to their aspirants if the aspirants are unable to do these things at the end and if not for earning money? All the teachers unanimously tell that the aspirants must very heavily and regularly practice to become able to do all these things. No teacher is ready to take this responsibility of making them able to do these things on their own. I have brought out a system to very successfully make them do all these things that too in a time-bound plan and proved it through the video clippings recently uploaded to the ‘youtube.com/msakella’. Still many people are unable to believe, get out of the traditional bonds and follow this novel system. I very well know that there are four main causes to do so and they are:
1. by following this system the teaching process will be quickened by which they loose a lot of money,
2. (to spill out their own beans) irrespective of their rhythmical abilities, unless they learn these Special Rhythmical Exercises now and become efficient to reproduce all of them efficiently themselves they cannot teach them to the aspirants,
3. unless they select the able aspirants from the available lot to teach them all these intricate rhythmical exercises they cannot do so by which they have to leave away a reasonable number of aspirants who do not have the required rhythmical instinct and
4. newly, they cannot conveniently escape from the responsibility of making their aspirants able to do the four things of above Manodharma.

Even in respect of the Raga to start the preliminary exercises, I have extensively traveled the Karnataka State, where the Karanataka Sangeeta Pitamaha Purandara Dasa had born himself and formulated the system of training, and found that these preliminary exercises are used to start not only in Mayamalavagaula but also in Shankarabharana at some places, Kharaharapriya at some places and Todi at some places. Our people are not ready even to observe other systems of music, Hidusthani or Western, where they invariably start in Shankarabharana.

No doubt, all our ancestors formulated this system with great heart. But, why, till date, nobody had ever tried even to evolve a fool-proof system for writing our compositions in notation? Even though I have toiled myself and brought out a far more easier and effective system to write in notation than any other one people are ready only to criticize me in one way or other but not even to try. I never do things expecting something from any corner while each and every award or title or honour has successfully been diluted. By the grace of the Almighty I know what I have been doing and I always do what I can.

In general, people think that such and such person, being a big title holder or an award winner or a top-rank performer, can also very well teach the students efficiently. But people are not aware that it is not ture and that making others just as replicas is an entirely different talent and not that easy to each and every performer. Many people are also used to believe that even the descendants of such and such a person can also teach efficiently. This is also not true. If the teacher is truly efficient in teaching every aspirant trained by him must become a replica of him without any exception. If only one or two of his disciples have become concert-artists that credit should go to the disciples but not the teacher at all.

In my personal case, as none of my teachers has any system at all to teach but number of compositions, I have struggled a lot to formulate suitable and efficient methods in teaching which took several years to succeed. amsharma

[ganesh_mourthy]

rasikas 9/11

do you know that beethoven composed some of his compositions in his final years when he was almost deaf. It was possible because that system of music was so regulated , highly theorized and systematic.



But with more and more conformists around this traditional music of ours is only going backwards.

[srikant1987]

do you know that beethoven composed some of his compositions in his final years when he was almost deaf. It was possible because that system of music was so regulated , highly theorized and systematic.

You can imagine music if you've ever been able to hear it.

But with more and more conformists around this traditional music of ours is only going backwards.

Have you ever considered the possibility that the priorities are simply different for Indian classical music as against Western classical music?

[ganesh_mourthy]

educate me. what are the priorities here as against there ?

[Rasika911]

Its quite possible to compose music late in life as you become 'almost' deaf. If you have a very good grasp of swarastanam and have internalised the music it is indeed possible. It wouldnt suprise me at all if a carnatic musican turns deaf and say composes a varnam.

[Rasika911]

msakella u say "I truthfully tell that a period of one year is far more than enough to impart all the intricate technicalities of either Shruti or Laya"

Absorbing "all" the "intricate" technicalities of sruthi and laya is not a destination to be reached but a journey which requires more than a lifetime.

Also whilst it is a very good exercise to practice the varshais in a variety of ragams it might not be the ideal place to start. For example the gandharam of karaharapriya is slightly complicated and perhaps isnt the ideal scale to use when teaching a beginnger.

[manjunath]

Some rasikas are thinking i am making allegetions againist Akella. It is not true. He is trying to get recognition for his mehtod by making allegations on muscians , teachers ,elders and their methods and systems. I am fighiting againist this. Without our elders we are not here today. He is saying his systme only good . A GOOD MAN NEVER LET OTHERS DOWN. He said his book is better than the book wrote by Shashikiran. There is a way of saying evry matter. But he simply ruled it out and blamed the book . This attitude of Akella kept him distance to all the muscicans and orgnisations and that is the reason today , he is struggling and trying to get his identity through this forum. Without respecting elders and thire path , no person hs succeed in life. The example is infront of you all. You all should make note that a minimul and understanding systme wrote by Shri. Shashikiran is more useful for any carnatic music student.

[ganesh_mourthy]

Its quite possible to compose music late in life as you become 'almost' deaf. If you have a very good grasp of swarastanam and have internalised the music it is indeed possible. It wouldnt suprise me at all if a carnatic musican turns deaf and say composes a varnam.

if a carnatic musician loses his faculty of hearing yet conceives a krithi and if this music sheet were to be given to ten different musicians to be sung at ten different times and they are all recorded and if the composer musician ever recovers his faculty and happens to listen to it , he would wish he were deaf always.

all that I am saying is none of them would match his actual conception. it may be good, better, or worst and this is a subjective term.but can it be actually reproduced???

I am afraid,No

[msakella]

Hi all brother & sister-members, Even though I am extremely happy to discuss things freely in this forum for the benefit of our kids in respect of music few have become jealous of my expertise, recognition and popularity etc., etc., and are trying their level best to push me out of this forum fabricating different kinds of stories and instigating people against me. I did never expect that people remaining even behind the curtain can stoop down to such lower level of criticism. Now, having become too tired of this dastardly act I have decided to step out of all the discussions of this forum hereafter and request you all to forgive me for any kind of inconvenience caused by me in my tenure. amsharma

[Rasika911]

Its quite possible to compose music late in life as you become 'almost' deaf. If you have a very good grasp of swarastanam and have internalised the music it is indeed possible. It wouldnt suprise me at all if a carnatic musican turns deaf and say composes a varnam.

if a carnatic musician loses his faculty of hearing yet conceives a krithi and if this music sheet were to be given to ten different musicians to be sung at ten different times and they are all recorded and if the composer musician ever recovers his faculty and happens to listen to it , he would wish he were deaf always.

all that I am saying is none of them would match his actual conception. it may be good, better, or worst and this is a subjective term.but can it be actually reproduced???

I am afraid,No

This is one of the beautiful things about carnatic music. Western music or any other system of music does not employ the gamakams that carnatic music does. Another facet of carnatic music is manodharma sangeetham and for these reasons different musicians will interpret the composition their own way.
Would you listen to carnatic music if everybody sang the same thodi?
If you give msakellas book to a musician, first its a question of them understanding the 60 symbols before they even begin to look at the composition:P There are more symbols for gamakams than letters in the english language itself


Compositions play a very important part of our music system.
Rhythmic drills designed by msakella are a wonderful thing and I myself will learn them. It can enhance a musicians by improving kalapramanam, give confidence in talam, improve ability to sing kanaku swarams ect. However, it cannot solely be used as an asset to teach manodharmam. To sing a ragam you need to learn compositions in that ragam . How else will you know what kalyani is? Okay if the guru notates an alapana they have learn 5-10 mins worth of kalyani sangathis so is that all they are good for as a musician?

[srikant1987]

How else will you know what kalyani is? Okay if the guru notates an alapana they have learn 5-10 mins worth of kalyani sangathis so is that all they are good for as a musician?

No, I suppose they will create phrases using the moorchana and apply gamakams from the 60 notated ones to various notes and arrange them to form the alapanai.

[ganesh_mourthy]

if a student spends just 5 min listening to a new raga and elaborates it , only then can it be truly called a manodharma.

of course you have to listen to hundreds of kalyani kirthis if you want to do only cut and paste job.

Rarely do I come accross a REAL manodharma.

when I practise very familiar raagas I feel that many common phrases are creeping into me subconsiously and I am truly rearranging them quickly .

I rather enjoy playing a new raaga that I have not much listened and that is where I can be true to the word manodharma.


Manodharma in carnatic music is often overrated. I very rarely come accross a real manodharma in its strictest sense. follow a musician from cutchery to cutchery and you can understand his pattern or manodharma . It is mostly homework and good reproduction concert after concert with slight deviation.

[R2]

SO true! Real Manodharma was explored and experimented with by the incomparable greats - Mali, SBalachander, Emani.
It is also true that the 'standard' rakti raagas used for the main items - Kalyani-Todi-Bhairavi-Sankarabharanam' are so worn out that you can literally sing along with the performer as he unfolds the raga. so where is the manodharma? True manodharma needs boldness and confidence to try a different turn of phrase, a different approach to the raga.
That is where new or rarely sung ragas offer scope to the performer. The 'beaten path' is not there, and you have to find your way through the jungle - THAT is the excitement and adventure!

[Rasika911]

the 'standard' rakti raagas used for the main items - Kalyani-Todi-Bhairavi-Sankarabharanam' are so worn out that you can literally sing along with the performer as he unfolds the raga. so where is the manodharma?

I disagree, if i were able to sing along with a ssi, mdr or gnb, id probably be a top ranking musician.
Certain characteristic phrases must be sung to bring out the essence of the raga and cannot be avoided. Yuu cannot sing the same phrase the same way twice, it always has a certain freshness.

[ganesh_mourthy]

mr rasikas9/11
please understand that what he connotes is an apprehension and a tendency to swiftly go along that phrases in mind. is that what you call a manodharma. a new definition.

[arunk]

Compositions do play a role in CM - but couldn't that just be an indication of its legacy? Does it imply that the only way to master the raga is through compositions? Now I can understand that based on our knowledge today, it is hard for us to imagine how CM can be without them. But take HM. It is a prime example of a system which is as much or if not more improvisatory than CM - but does not have the same tradition of compositions. How does a HM practitioner master the main HM ragas? I could like to know that.

Notating every subtle aspect of CM is indeed laborious - perhaps counter productive. . Note also that notating WM compositions is also extremely laborious and these composers are imagining multiple melodies for various sections. And also depending on style, not everything is notated as in there is some room for interpretation. Of course it is much much less compared to CM, but then CM's notation scheme (i.e. as done by most) is quite rudimentary. We haven't even standardized the simplest of the concepts. Take a stock phrase in a arbitrary raga - say nATakurinji's gmpgrs. There are subtle gamakas here. Technically it shouldn't be hard to standardize this and similar things. But this has not been standardized, none of the standard books even attempt it.

The "we never needed it before, why need now" or "whatever needs to be done, has been established already", "who are you to change what great souls have said" etc. etc. is IMO simply a resistance to change that is inherent in all of us, but has a strong presence in anything tied to religion (and thus tradition). IMO, it is a cage that holds us. We simply are most comfortable with something we are already familiar with - so any deviation is a ripple. You hear the following from many musicians in tamizh: periyavA ellam paNNittu poiTTa => "the respected elders have done what is needed and gone (and thus all we should do is follow)". While respect to great works (irrespective of who do it) is one thing, it is also a shackle particularly when it is mandated. It puts a muzzle to our instincts - making us be subservient to tradition just because we have been told so. It also is the the biggest hurdle of progress and improvement. But, ironically, in the end, it NEVER can prevent change. A quick read of the classical texts on music over centuries speak volumes on this. The best this resistance does is to simply just slows it to the speed of a glacier, so that each generation can be (somewhat foolishly) secure in the false comfort that traditions never really change or that whatever that has changed was for the better, but at any point no more change is required (what a logic!).

Arun

[srikant1987]

Note also that notating WM compositions is also extremely laborious and these composers are imagining multiple melodies for various sections. And also depending on style, not everything is notated as in there is some room for interpretation. Of course it is much much less compared to CM, but then CM's notation scheme (i.e. as done by most) is quite rudimentary. We haven't even standardized the simplest of the concepts. Take a stock phrase in a arbitrary raga - say nATakurinji's gmpgrs. There are subtle gamakas here. Technically it shouldn't be hard to standardize this and similar things. But this has not been standardized, none of the standard books even attempt it.

When the complexity is introduced by means of harmony,
(a) instruments such as violin, which can still play only one note at a time (disregarding stunts), will still have a very simple role to play. This includes singers.
(b) people playing instruments such as guitar and keyboard can now have complex fingering to do to access all notes at once, but they need not "imagine" the final effect to play these: if you know these are the keys to be pressed (or frets to be held) and the finger you're going to use for each of them, you can do it without much further thinking.

On the other hand, gamakams change the music for everyone: even for a vocalist. And we perform "smooth" movements, rather than discrete ones; a todi ga is NOT a ma ga ma ga as such. It will be very dumb to that way on a veena.

And then again, you cannot right away perform scaling up and down on this ga to get it for a longer or shorter duration. You'll have to apply your skills, wits AND your listening experience in determining how exactly you play the ga in a particular place.

[manjunath]

Akellaji, the members of rasikas .org are highly intellectuals , musicians , learners and are sharing music knowledge , systems, various cultures of people etc.. and are enjoying the association with fun and happiness. All , often they fight ,Quarrel , but still they enjoy to continue in sharing their knowledge and association. You are a purposeful entry here and you looks after only your system and method and nothing else. No need of instigating people against you. They have brain and can think properly. You are a senior mucisian, you have, only started writing negative about the musicians and music teachers of this country through this forum, stating you are the only honest person in the country and trying to serve for the society. Do you know where will this reach. . Through out the world. You have disrespected the whole music community of India with your will ful blames and allegations. Because of your knowledge of english and comupters , you could reach to this thread today and you talk about other kids to stop education and learn music. Hundreds of musicians who can not read and write english and who have sacrificed lives for the cause of music, culture and heritage are unforutnately not able to reach this thread due to lac of their english knowledge. Other wise they could have spoken much more and more about you on the thread. Please let musicians live on their own, finally what we need is to preserve this rich music,heritage and culture of this country . Do you know how many people /engineers work on to maintain the on line forum? They are sacrificing time and money for the healthy cause of onlining our culture and heritage. A musician like you , simply entering and writing negative on indian music and music teachers have hurt lot of people. They could not express openly and you do not have heart and simply blame others in every post of yours. Do not miss use the thread for disrespecting/blaming others just for propagting your greatness. You wrote negative about your governmnet, universities, colleges, lecturers, teachers including the status of your home state in music. You have not left any one on the earth except your self. Think of your mental stauts first. You are commenting on the healthy carnatic music system of India. You wrote: " In our Karnataka music, a number of items like Saralee-swaras, Jata-swaras, Datu-swaras, Alankaras, Geetas, Svarapallavis, Svarajatis, Varnas, Kritis etc., etc., are furnished to teach the aspirant only to elongate the process of teaching which helps more in earning money"

[ganesh_mourthy]

arun your 196 post , I am one with you. How happy ,when someone feels the say way and writes them. you have spared me the tedium of writing this time.

[Nick H]

"the respected elders have done what is needed and gone (and thus all we should do is follow)".

There is a recipe for death if I ever heard one.

What's more, this is also a kind of rejection of responsibility. Do those people not understand that they are the elders to tomorrow's newcomers? If the same people speak of the past "golden age" then they have nobody else but themselves to blame for not making today a golden age.