Traditional Sikh Kirtan - Puratan Reet

If you're a Kirtan-lover or even if you're generally intersted in music - check the following link:

Jap Man Narhare Narhar Swami - Raag Shudh Sarang

This is Puratan Reet Kirtan (Translation for those not familiar with Sikhi: Old School "Sikh Music")
The chorus is first sung in a 15 beat cycle - yep, no type-o: 15 beats.
And then they switch to a fast 12 beat cycle for the verses.

Switching rythmic cycles is an old Sikh tradition started by Our 4th Guru , Sri Guru Ram Das Ji.

This composition is about 350-400 years old.

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I dont know about you, but every time I hear it, I get chills (in a good way). 
On top of that, If you are in to spirituality/Sikhi etc and understand the meaning - it just takes you to another level.

Improvement In Playing

I was watching videos of Bhai Baljeet Singh's UK Tour. I got totally lost in the way he was playing his Tar-Shehnai. After 15 minutes in awe of how sweet his music sounds - a question hit me: "How does he play differently from the way I do?"

"I want to be able to play like him" <- I've had this thought in my head since the first time I heard Bhai Baljeet Singh and Gurmeet Singh's rendition of "OHA PREM PIRI" on Sikhnet.

So, this time I had a new thought: "What do I need to adjust to be able to get closer to the way he plays?" "How does he play differently from the way I do?"


Anyways - I noticed 2 very very subtle things that make a HUGE difference. And the weird part is that my teacher Maiya Singh has mentioned these to me before in passing. Somehow It's slipped my awareness, and during my lessons he hasn't noticed that I'm not playing the way he told me to - because it's so subtle you have to really be looking for it to catch your attention.


I tried making those two adjustments and - I sound better !! Really!


1) See my previous videos - the neck of my saaj is resting in between My neck and the end of my shoulder. Adjustment: Rest My Saaj's neck on my collarbone, RIGHT next to my neck.

2) My wrist should not be bent. If I hold my left hand up and pretend to play - my wrist should be in line with my forearm.

No twisting or bending left wrist while playing. Whole hand/arm must move.

Fingers should be resting on the playing string like dead weight - PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION TO THE HIGH NOTES :P - No need to push down at all.

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So there's a reminder to myself that everyone might be able to benefit from. Try it out.

I'll show y'all the result soon.

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By the Way .. If you're following the news, Youtube doesnt work in Thailand anymore, So for now I'll be posting all new videos to Google video.

Can someone do me a favor and put comments in a 2-3 of my videos on youtube telling people to check here (if they're interested).

Pati Torai Malini

Round 2!!:



Got this on the 4th take. Still a few mistakes, but according to me it's much better than yesterday.

Will try again soon - not committing to a date. :P

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I swear this is a tough tune to play.



I tried 8 times today.. And only got this.

I see where I need to improve -
- Saaj went off tune .. didn't notice until after I saw recording.
- I need to bow harder on the High notes - it's sounding weird currently
- The playing lacks a certain Lively Bounce
- anything else ? kindly suggest

My brother is also saying he wants to try improving his tabla sound.

We will be back with another take at this!!! :D

3 Tunes in Raag Bhairavi

3 Tunes in Raag Bhairavi

1st: Tune using both MAs and both GAs .. took me quite long to understand what was going on when I first heard it :P

2nd: Nice tune, but very hard to play - and My teacher said he didn't remember the rest of it, hence the short segment.

3rd: Old hindi song - see if anyone can guess what song. apparently it's VERY old.


My younger brother is on tabla.


Enjoy.

Raag Durga

By Request:
Alaap and Tune I learned for the Shabad "Gur Jaisa Nahi Ko Dev"

Very sweet Raag -

Do you want this ?

I have the resources to set up REGULAR ONLINE MUSIC LESSONS (delivered by Video)
- for beginner/intermediate/advanced levels


lessons can include

• Gurbani Kirtan - Classical / Semi-Classical / Light Shabads - can even do requests. Send the file and someone will de-construct the tune and teach it SLOWLY so its easy to follow.
  
• Singing
• Playing along on Waja
• Playing along on Dilruba
  
• Advanced Compositions: Partaals and uncommon beat compositions: 11 beat, 9 beat, 13 beat, etc.
  

• Tabla for Accompaniment - Beginner/Intermediate level only- but there will still be plenty of cool Tihais and Kaidas.

• Vocal - PROPER singing tips and exercises ( Didi Aruna has agreed to teach - see the two posts below for sampling of her Skill - I will get more teachers to join up as well)

• Dilruba / Tar Shehnai / Taus ( if you can play one , you can play 'em all ) - Tips, Techniques, Exercises, and USING everything that you've learned in compositions.
  

• Classical Hindustani Bandishes, Ghazals, and Old Hindi Songs.

It'll be like this blog - except the lessons will be REGULARLY UPDATED (aiming for 1 time a week per Teacher) , and PROPERLY PLANNED.
Also there will be multiple videos in Each Lesson :

Random example :--
Lesson:
Shabad: "Satgur Poorai Naam Diya"
tune Heard from Narinder Singh Banaras Wale
Raag Prabhati Biphas
- so this lesson will be divided into:

1) Alaap of Raag

2) Just Singing the shabad - with repeated emphasis on the difficult bits, how to embellish and sweeten the tune, proper pronunciation of Bani

3) The notes on Waja

4) How to Play along on Dilruba so it sounds good + Perhaps a Shaan thrown in

5) Tabla accompaniment - how to make it sound good: Playing so it sounds light and happy / or heavy. Adding embellishments. Playing off-beat, and then fitting back in. Tihais, Kaidas. Mixing Beats (playing Dadra in Tintaal maybe) etc. etc. Whatever knowledge the teacher can give.

6) The Shabad Sung properly without interruptions , with tabla accompaniment.

optional 7) Taans/Sargams/Tihais - for both Vocal and Dilruba ( for classical tunes - so People who are interested more in the MUSIC than the Bani , can just use the composition )





It'll have to be a membership site so we can keep it running on a consistent ongoing basis. I'm estimating membership fees will have to be about US$40 per month, depending on how much it costs to set the whole thing up- ( which if you calculate is ONLY around $3-5 per lesson ) .. and all old lessons will still be there for you to check out at a later date.

If you're interested .. please leave a comment.
If at least 50 different people confirm that they want this - I will put it together IMMEDIATELY.
Kindly spread the word - and let me know in the comments section of this post if this is something you would like to have.

Thanks.



additional Note:

most of the info may be based around Gurbani / Sikh music (I'm planning about 50%) - but it will be applicable to general Hindustani Classical as well.
If you can play tabla along to one piece of music, you can play along to everything.

And - a lot of times, if you omit the words and just play the tunes for the Shabads, you'll end up with something very similar to hindustani classical compositions. A lot of Shabad tunes are based on Hindustani Classical compositions anyway.

But of course we will try to accomodate everyone - I will make sure there are enough tunes and compositions to keep non-Sikhs interested too.
Perhaps we can add a taans/sargams/tihais section to each lesson so people who are interested in the Tune and not
the Bani (words), will still get benefit from it.
I'll even make sure to put up songs.

The more people I can serve, the better.


ANOTHER NOTE:

Once in a while : We'll be able to get (audio) studio recordings of our "Teachers" - and most of those will be put up on the site and available to members for download.

Arungeet Kaur singing Raag Bhairavi

Aruna didi singing Raag Bhairavi at Aunty Tara's house - March 24 2007

Arungeet Kaur singing Raag Kaushikdhwani

Aruna Didi singing Raag Kaushikdhwani / Kaushik .
Some scholars say this is the original Raag Basant before the version with Komal Re and Tivar Ma became popular - ... but whatever, if you ask 100 people something, you'll get a 100 different opinions ... I dont like to argue, it's a nice Raag - and sung Very very well. Enjoy .

Classical Music get-together at Aunty Tara's House - March 24 2005.

Raag Kirwani

Small "classical music" get-together at Aunty Tara's house on 24 March 2007.

Maiya Singh (My Teacher) on Tarshehnai
I'm on tabla.

The foil-leaf in the Tarshehnai's sound box popped so my teacher had to end abruptly.

Btw. this little recording was done with NO practice. - the Get-together WAS the practice.

Enjoy

tune from SUPER OLD indian movie

My teacher says Ustad Pyara Singh used to love playing this tune.

Raag Bhoopali Bandish

Composition in Raag Bhoopali.

Raag Asa : Shaan + Shabad Tune

One of my favorite tunes. Very very difficult to memorize.
I heard the tune from the Shabad Track: "Gur Kunji Pahu Nival" sung by Bhai Baljeet Singh at least 50-60 times.
Even then I memorized it incorrectly.
So my teacher has played it slowly for me to be able to catch the nuances.



Here's a modified tune for "Gur Kunji Pahu Nival" (I wanted to sing a different Shabad to this composition) - in Raag Asa. Amazingly Sweet Tune.