Raag Asa - Shaan

Nice peaceful and happy tune in Raag Asa.

Mouli Dharti Moulia Akash - Shabad Tune

Tune for Shabad in Raag SHUDH BASANT (According to Gurbani Kirtan Scholars)

Shabad is "Mouli Dharti Moulia Akash" - heard from Bhai Nirmal Singh, Hazoori Ragi of Darbar Sahib Amritsar.

I know the alaap needs work - was kind of random.
And nobody was there to help me stay in beat.
And a few notes are ~off.

Audio Cd - Gurbani Kirtan - By Maiya Singh

My teacher went to India in 2005 and created a Gurbani Kirtan Audio Cd.

I then got a few hundred CDs made (Proper Factory CD , not burned at home).

On the Recording, He's accompanied by Namdhari Hazoori Ragis :

Harpreet Singh (Sonu) - on Tabla
Balwant Singh - on Santoor
Gurdial Singh (Lali) - on Sitar
and Davinder Singh - on TarShehnai

The Kirtan is sung Ghazal / Semi-Classical / Easy-listening Style
(Sorry = Non Title-Raag :( )
Sound Quality is excellent.
click here for the audio files of Maiya Singh's Kirtan CD


Anyway - there are plenty of CDs left unsold which is greatly slowing down plans to create new recordings. So if you like the Cd, please take one - help clear the stock so a new one can be produced.

I have here, right beside my computer 9 Unopened CDs that I promised I'd sell (Since 2005) - And I'm sure my teacher has plenty more.

If anyone is interested, I'd be happy to ship you a CD for US$9 (Covers the cost of producing the CDs and includes Worldwide shipping by Registered Thai Air Mail)

** Update ** had to change from $7 to $9 because cost of Shipping was quite a bit higher than expected.

Paypal Link has been sorted out.

Raag Khamaj - Ustad Bismillah Khan

Maiya Singh, My teacher, playing a tune he said he often used for practice when he was younger.

If you noticed: the phone rang towards the end of the recording. :P heheh

Tar Shehnai / Esraj (Dilruba) - Raag Kalyan

Maiya Singh, My teacher, playing a Bandish in Raag Yaman/Kaliyaan.

Recording was made mainly for practice purposes.

Not bad for someone who just plays this on the spot without any recent practice eh?

The instrument is a Tar Shehnai, which is an Esraj + a horn that produces the sweet, high pitched sound.

An Esraj (similar to Dilruba) is a hybrid Sarangi + Sitar.


If you noticed: I fumbled the taal at one point because I started concentrating on what my teacher was playing, but he adjusted what he was playing to fit my mistake in.

Advanced listeners will notice instantly :P

Maiya Singh - TarShehnai - Song

Maiya Singh
Testing out a friend's new TarShehnai. Playing a song in Raag Yaman/Kaliyaan/Kalyaan.
The song is : Bhuli Hui Yaadein ( It's pretty old - 1960s or something )

I'm on tabla.

Maiya Singh - TarShehnai - Bandish

Maiya Singh
Testing out a friend's new Tar-Shehnai
Playing a Bandish in Raag Yaman/Kaliyaan/Kalyaan
The Bandish is called: Pal Pal Mori


What's a Bandish? It's a composition / musical piece / tune . Basically the chorus and the verses are somewhat set, and the musician can improvise in between them.

Practice Technique 2

Example is for Raag Bhoopali - you can convert it to work for any Raag

Play the following notes:

S R
S R G
S R G P
S R G P D
S R G P D S.
 
S. D
S. D P
S. D P G
S. D P G R
S. D P G R S


First play 1 bow per note.
After a while, try 1 bow per line - as written above.

Try to keep a constant tempo - I find this very tough to do

Practice Technique

Try this combination of notes

Memorize this pattern - and use it for practising any Raag.

This is example will be For Raag Kalyaan (Yaman)

.N R G .N G R .N R G .N R .N G R .N

(N = low ni)

Then use the same pattern and go up along the aroh 

R G m R m G R G m R G R m G R
(m = ma tivar )

etc.

Try bowing one note at a time
then two notes with one bow
then three notes with one bow
until you can do the whole sequence with one bow

keep a constant speed.

Try - and please post links to your videos as comments. So everyone can check out and help point out how to improve.

Bhai Baljeet Singh & Gurmeet Singh Namdhari - Kirtan Program in the UK

Foward to 27:00 mins and ENJOY.
Also Check out 53:30

My opinion: They're one of the best Ragi Jathas in the world right now. In terms of feeling expressed when singing / musical skill / and just overall style.

My teacher learned Tar-shehnai from Bhai Baljeet Singh.

Bhai Baljeet Singh learned from Ustad Piyara (Pyara) Singh.

Before that - no clue :P

Raag Bhoopali on Guitar - South Indian Style

They call it Raag Mohanam - Very similar to Raag Bhoopali.

This guy is very good.



Listen to how it compares with the way I played Raag Bhoopali - "same same, yet different"

Raag Desh (Sorath) - Guitar

I found this video of a guy playing Indian Classical Music (South Indian/Carnatic Style) on Guitar. Looks like he's just jamming with his friends. He's very good.



Raag Desh (Sorath) - very sweet raag.
It is quite commonly used in indian music, especially for Indian patriotic songs (like "Vande Mataram").

Nitin Sawhney's "Nadia" is also in Raag Desh.