Basic swara lessons in carnatic music

[sreevin25]

Hi All

A very basic question about basics of carnatic music - according to my understanding, I thought all the sarali swaras, janta swaras, madhya sthaayi, mela sthaayi, mandra sthaayi, dhaatu, alankarams, geetams etc ( or at least until geetams) are all pre-set and predecided by the makers of carnatic music eons ago.

But recently I have realised that different teachers have different notations and combinations and even quantities - like some have 9 sarali swaras, some have a 10th one, some have a different kind of 10th one and janta varisais are all different, and sometimes dhaatu varisa can become janta varisai and vice versa..

How and why is this the case? Is not there a "bible" for CM where all teachers teach the same and and all students learn the same and where people can identify immediately when someone refers to say " janta varisai 7"

Clear my confusion pls

thanks

[Sathej]

These are not 'pre-set' in their entirety. There might be differences in the inclusions/exclusions of some of the varisais/other practice verses between schools. Largely, they remain the same. The primary purpose though, is to equip the student to progress further. But Dhattu Varisai becoming Janta Varisai?? I can't quite understand that!

Sathej

[sreevin25]

Hi

What I mean is that -
for eg: some teachers teach
ss mm gg rr
ss rr gg mm......
as dhaatu varisai , and some as a part of janta varisai. So, even though its not confusin, I still am a little confused as to what constitutes what and how people jump between varisais?

so, is there any "bible" or "parent book" of CM where I can view - like something followed by the univeristy that teaches and sets guidelines in CM?

thanks

[Sathej]

Well, as far as I know, there are no such 'bibles' or the ultimate source of authenticity in these issues. It depends to a large extent on the school. But at the stage of Varisais/practice verses and so on, the teacher may include/postpone/exclude a few Varisais or whatever based on the difficulties/need of the student. Absolute rigidity in these issues is seldom seen.

Sathej

[msakella]

Dear brother-member, sreevin25, Yes, as you wrote, no such ‘bible’ has ever been brought out even to maintain a discipline among teaching and, also, no teacher agrees to have such a ‘bible’ hindering his flexibility in teaching.
However, if you go through the sub-thread, AMS Easy Mehtods-2007 CD - Teaching and Learning Methods by A.M.Sharma in the main thread under Sangitakalalaya you will get some relative points in this connection. amsharma

[sramaswamy]

There is no rigid rule. It is like "ABC" book for kids.
Some might use A for Apple and some might say A for Ant,
and B for Ball or B for Bear and so on.

[msakella]

Dear brother-member, sreevin25, The word ‘bible’ you have used in your post initiated me to think many facets of some of which I furnish hereunder for the benefit of the aspirants.
The ‘Bible’ for Chrianity and ‘Bhagavadgita’ for Indianity are the ultimate and, in fact, everybody must follow them truly. At this jucture the’belief’ comes in. Any person must, at the first instance, believe in the thing and then follow. But, a person who believes in Bhagavadgita and regularly chants it is of no use to this society and another person who believes in it, understands its meanings and truly follows it in his general life becomes an asset to the society. That means not only belief but also making it use in the daily life in true sense is also highly necessary. While doing so, the person must think of in which way the things must be put into use for the benefit of the people.
In the same way, the items like saralee-svaras, janta-svaras etc., to be imparted to the aspirants must be put in use to benefit them in every possible way. For example, among the preliminary exercises, we also have Alankars in 7 different Talas and, as per the seriatm of the Shloka we all are used to start them teaching the poor aspirants with one of the longest and most confusive Dhruva-tala in which many great composers did not even dare to compose even a single composition in their life time. But, to give excellent resistence power to our kids we have to expose them to all kinds of climates and in the same manner to energise the aspirants in Laya aspect we have to teach them different kinds of Talas and teach this Dhruva-tala also along with others.

In the same manner me too taught this Dhruva-tala first to all my students for more than 40 years upto the date of my retirement. But, after my retirement, when I have introspected myself I found that I did great injustice to all my sutdents by starting these Alankaras with this trouble some Dhruva-tala for all these 40 years. Had I thought to make the process of teaching these Alankaras starting with the easiest Eka-tala and continue further basing upon the gradually increasing number of Kriyas i.e., 4, 6, 7, 10 & 14 in each Avarta all my students would have done it very easily. Being a fool I did not do it then but, like better late than never, I could do it only after my retirement. This kind of attitude is essential to any teacher in making the matters much easier to his students.

Even after that, in the next higher step, I have made the first group of them with Eka, Rupaka, Mathya and Dhruva having only shorter-units and the second group with Jhampa, Ata and Triputa having longer-units and odd-number of Kriyas in an avarta. To complete the cycle of an Alankara we must sing 5 cycles in the ascending order and another 5 cycles in the decending order arriving at a total of 10 Avartas by which we are compelled to repeat some of them to fulfil the 3 degree of speed. But, by any chance, if we can make each Alankara of having 8 Avartas only such repetition can very conveniently and easily be avoided. So, thinking all this, in the next step, I made it to sing only in Panchamavarja-ragas of either Lalitha of Mayamalavagaulites or Hamsavinodini for Shankarabharanites by which each Alankara could be finished with 8 Avartas only making it more easy even in 3 degrees of speed. Being a Mridangist in my younger age, still in the next step in making the matters still easier to the poor aspirants, for the first time in the annals of our Karnataka music, I have introduced Jati-alankaras in terms of Jatis only by which each and every Alankara could be learnt with beats and Mridanga-jatis thus avoiding even the rendering of Talangas and notes.

By all this I am extremely happy for having become an instrument in the deeds of the Almighty in making the matters easier to our kids.
In the same manner, even in respect of making the process of singing Svarakalpana and Ragalapana also easier to the aspirants I could do something in the following manner, When I found some easy Muktayis in the Mullapudi School of Mridangam in Vizianagaram which can very easily be followed with less mathematics and barely with structural understanding I have formulated some symbols to all of them and taught to some of my students who reproduced them with great enthusiasm and ease. Later, this paved way to instill self-confidence into the aspirants and helped a lot to their easy flow of natural Svarakalpana.
For example, if we happen to go to the houses of 10 or 12 friends and find some useful electronic-gadgets in their houses we must try to find the places where these gadgets are available for sale and purchase them. But, in the process of getting these gadgets we need not bring all these friends and keep them stay at our home. But, in singing good Ragalapana, all our stalwarts are always used to harp on learning as many number of Kritis in a Raga as we can. This is just like bringing all our friends and keep them staying at our home in the process of having the different electronic-gadgets. How foolish it is? In respect of any Raga, the music-greatness of a particular Kriti in that Raga lies in the greatness of a particular phrase of music but not in the lyric of the Kriti at all. If we are properly equipped to accurately notate all such important music-phrases of that Raga and sing them together very efficiently we need not learn all the number of Kritis in that Raga. In such process only, I have brought out 27 facets of Kashiki-nishada and the 60 symbolised Gamakas and furnished them in my CD, AMS Easy Methods-2007 and in my book, Sangita Svararaga Sudha for the benefit of the aspirants.
By all the above, we all can understand in which way the ‘bible’ can truly be used for the benefit of the society. For the benefit of the aspirants I am posting the above in both the threads, Basic svara lessons in carnatic music and AMS Easy Methods-2007 - Teaching & Learning Methods by A.M.Sharma. amsharma

[JagannathanVS]

Dear Sir

I want Basic lessons in carnatic music

[msakella]

Dear brother-member, Jagannathan VS, You can download the CD ‘AMS Easy Methods-2007’ from http://www.sangeethamshare.org/chandra/ ... hods-2007/ go through the instructions and follow them. amsharma

[Rasika911]

I wrote a long response...to be timed out

[msakella]

My above post also received ‘timed out’ response for the first time but graciously accepted second time. amsharma

[ganesh_mourthy]

always highlight and copy what you wrote before pressing the submit button. you can always retrieve what you lost. I do that.

[msakella]

Fortunately enough I am always used to post only the copy there. Thus I am always saved. amsharma

[Rasika911]

When i get some time ill recollet my thoughts and write it out the best i can.

[thangap]

Dear msakella,

I have recently started my carnatic singing. Its been 9 months since I started my class, But I'm still not confident of the swarams and their frequency, I always seem to make mistake. Is there some methods, by which i can practise the swarams and be confident of their frequncies. I always get dejected when my teacher's face goes down when i falter. Right now, we are practising geethams, but I'm not happy with the way i'm proceeding. Can you please lend me your favour and describe me of how to practise?

I do practise everyday and listen, but when i sing in front of teacher, i seem to make mistake, as she can correctly identify the frequency.

Please help.
Thank you. Sevagi.

[Sam Swaminathan]

Sevagi, you have raised the question to the master Sri Sharmaji.....just to prempt him, Sharmaji himself has stated in one of his submissions, that it is good to practice with a metronome. If you do not understand what I mean, look at Sharmaji's violin lessons in you tube. You will see Sharmaji keeping up immaculate timing with the metronome. After seeing his advise, I started using metronome along with my sruthi box. Now, I am confident of my Kalapramanam as well as frequencies, particularly when I practice the varisais. As a matter of fact, metronome is the real answer for any thing you practice, be it a varnam or a geetham or even a kriti. With in no time, you will start feeling confident about your timings.

My two cents worth...now I will leave the master to explain this issue further...Best wishes.

[vasanthakokilam]

Yes, as Sam says akellaji would be the one to guide you properly on this.

Savegi, questiosn in the mean time, based on my own little dabbler experience: After you sing Sa aligning it with the sruthi, can you sing Pa and Upper Sa correctly almost always? Second, do you have a good sense within yourself if you sing G correctly or not?

[sreeji]

Having more sarali varisais, janta varisais is not a problem.Learning more varisais make the basement strong. But for alankarams we have heard only sapta taala alankaaraas.....that remains the same..I think i have clarified ur doubt.....

[sreeji]

Carnatic music classes are taken at your door-step(Area - KK nagar, Ashok nagar).Interested people can contact to the following mobile number.

+91 9884031283

[thangap]

Thank you for the responses.

I believe it's the duty of the teacher to guide the student appropriately.

The class started with SRGMPDNS (ascending and descending), I had no clue what they really meant. I did my own amount of research on mayamalavagowla ragam and then understood where each swaram were placed. I had been frequently questioning my teacher on how I shall be confident in singing srgmpdns, she said practise and listen.

I still cannot place "ga" in its right frequency. nor the 'pa' and the higher 'sa'.

The idea of sruthi box and the scale (we usually use G, 5) came to me after some 3 classes by own research.

I can't find any other teacher in my locality, but i believe a different method of practise would definitely help me. Please help me. I'm so curious and very dedicated to carnatic singing, i've been little obsessive about it. I believe and hope you friends would guide and me grow ahead confidently.

Thank you lots,
Savegi

[msakella]

Dear brother-member, Savegi, If you want to sincerely and seriously learn Karnataka music you can download the contents of my CD, AMS Easy Methods-2007 from http://www.sangeethamshare.org/chandra/ ... hods-2007/ and strictly follow the instructions furnished in the note at the end of the index. You can also go through the sub-thread ‘AMS Easy Methods -2007 - Teaching and Learning Methods’ under the main thread ‘Music School’ for more details. In case of any doubt you can contact my ID ‘msakella2002’ on Skype to discuss face to face. amsharma

[thangap]

Thank you very much Mr.AM Sharmaji, thank you lots for quenching my thirst.

[sreeji]

Dear Savegi

Listen to sruthi well and while u practice make yourself voice recorded so that u can find the fault where u have mistaken....While learning music, know more about therotical knowledge along with practical knowledge so that it would more easier for u to learn.
Sreeji

[sreeji]

Dear Savegi

Can I know in which place are you located?

Sreeji