Alapana and Ragamalika Swaram

[Aravind Bhargav]

Hello all! This is a major feature in the concert format of our music called Alapana where the artist explores and performs his own interpretation of the given raga or scale. Here, we do not have any percussion support and as it is purely personal imagination, it invariably varies from artist to artist, of course adherence to the grammer is a must. Check this out in my 1st video.

In the 2nd video I perform a ragamalika swaram i.e swaram played in different scales. Swaram also is similar to alapana only thing is we have percussion support and all our improvisations have to adher to a cycle of beats.

Please excuse the AV quality as it was recorded live. Hope you enjoy it and feedback welcome....

[Beanzy]

Thanks for sharing those Aravind
I really like the parts in the 2nd clip where there's loads of communication going on between you and the percussionist to your right as the whole thing really kicks-in around 03:30. And also the use of the hammer-on around 08:30 really takes advantage of the electric mandolin in a way acoustic instruments can't project.

Lovely stuff. Definitely one for the Jazz guys too.

[Aravind Bhargav]

Beanzy Sir, Thank you for your lovely, encouraging comments....Great observations too...Since you liked the 2nd clip, I am posting a similar piece where all of us, artists are having a gala time... Hope you enjoy this too....

[delsbrother]

Is there any relationship between how the mandolin is tuned and how the violin is tuned?

[Aravind Bhargav]

Is there any relationship between how the mandolin is tuned and how the violin is tuned?

I don't quite understand your query.....All of us including the percussion tune to the same pitch, 'C'. can you please be more specific?.....

[delsbrother]

What notes are the individual strings tuned to? In the West, the mandolin and violin are tuned to the same pitches, GDAE.

[Aravind Bhargav]

we tune the strings to CGCG in both Violin and Mandolin, but we add an extra C(higher octave) to our Mandolin which forms the 5th string.

[delsbrother]

Ah, thanks for that. I think in one incarnation of U. Srinivas' website they listed a different tuning, but I'm assuming since you belong to his school that you all use the same tuning. Do you know what string sizes (diameters) you use? Are they specifically made for your mandolins, or are you using ball-end guitar strings cut down to size?

I'm also curious - in the West there is relationship between the violin (fiddle) and the mandolin, in that they share histories and repertoire - in fact many mandolinists' styles are directly influenced by how the fiddle is played. I get the sense from your posts that the form of the music is more important than the instruments themselves. Was violin music/theory/technique ever discussed as part of your mandolin training?

[Aravind Bhargav]

The order of the strings in our mandolin is GGDAE from base but we tune them as CGCGC. Hope I've explained properly...We use a brand of mandolin strings called 'Karuna Strings'...I am not sure about the diameter etc...
You are right that emphasis is given to the form of music and not the channels (vocal or instrumental) through which we express it.
Whether instruments or vocal, the repertoire is the same, except for percussion. We do study histories and techniques of different instruments but, where mandolin is concerned, Guruji was the 1st person to adapt the western mandolin to carnatic music, so he is creating history.... We don't discuss theory much...it is more practical and practise oriented...
This apart the mode of training we have....we learn compositions in different scales and practise improvisations based on them, which is a very important aspect of our music...

[catmandu2]

Thanks for posting those Aravind. I enjoyed it

I've always been interested in the very disparate concepts between the lyricism of Eastern music systems and the dense harmonic emphasis of Western systems. It's no wonder that "classical" players of Western repertoire often find improvization so challenging. As we have discussed this before on other threads--I favor introducing children to music in the oral manner: I believe it nurtures a more "musical" orientation. I was taught music in the formal didactic manner in school, but I heard my mother singng much before that. My own children are exposed in a variety of ways--but voice is primary, and rhythm.

[Aravind Bhargav]

Thanks for posting those Aravind. I enjoyed it

Thank you Sir....How are your little students doing......

[catmandu2]

We are well and learning Latin rhythms (clave)

[Aravind Bhargav]

Thanks for posting those Aravind. I enjoyed it

I've always been interested in the very disparate concepts between the lyricism of Eastern music systems and the dense harmonic emphasis of Western systems. It's no wonder that "classical" players of Western repertoire often find improvization so challenging. As we have discussed this before on other threads--I favor introducing children to music in the oral manner: I believe it nurtures a more "musical" orientation. I was taught music in the formal didactic manner in school, but I heard my mother singng much before that. My own children are exposed in a variety of ways--but voice is primary, and rhythm.

Sir! You have caught the differences in nutshell. I also feel, in our system, equal emphasis is given to LISTENING as learning and practising. It is generally believed listening gives you various ideas thereby improving our imagination and improvisation..

[delsbrother]

Thank you so much for these answers. I feel this is surely the "correct" way to approach things - the music is always the most important thing.

But especially on this board, we tend to become more obsessed with the tools to produce the music (even the method in which the tools are made, what the tools are named, etc.) instead of the music itself. Oh well.

To continue that obsession , I did some searching online and found this for Karuna strings. There's also this set from the official Karuna site.

Is either one of those the set you use?

[catmandu2]

LISTENING as learning and practising. It is generally believed listening gives you various ideas thereby improving our imagination and improvisation..

Indeed!

Without becoming too morose...I sometimes feel sorry for those immersed only in the Western orchestral system of music-making. I myself spent many years studying music in the Western classical tradition--alone in a practice room attempting to "perfect" repertoire pieces. This was not musically satisfying, and induced stress--but getting into folk music cured me.

Sorry for bending off topic

[Aravind Bhargav]

Thank you so much for these answers. I feel this is surely the "correct" way to approach things - the music is always the most important thing.

But especially on this board, we tend to become more obsessed with the tools to produce the music (even the method in which the tools are made, what the tools are named, etc.) instead of the music itself. Oh well.

To continue that obsession , I did some searching online and found this for Karuna strings.

Is that the set you use?

Sir, Hope I've not offended you or anyone...It is only due to lack of proper info and inexperience on my part...
The link given by you is correct and those are the strings we use.
Personally, I like our cafe very much as there is always so much info easily available......

[delsbrother]

Please, no offense has been given - I did not mean to put words in your mouth either.

I very much appreciate the opportunity to ask these technical questions of someone such as yourself. Please forgive me if I am too forward.

[Aravind Bhargav]

Please, no offense has been given - I did not mean to put words in your mouth either.

I very much appreciate the opportunity to ask these technical questions of someone such as yourself. Please forgive me if I am too forward.

It is great to interact and exchange views...Please check out my 'Levels' thread and leave your views.....