Topic started by Rohan Krishnamurthy (@ pm533-26.dialip.mich.net) on Mon Jul 16 15:47:14 .
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.
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As many of you may know, I am a 14 year old mridangist who is a student of Sri. Guruvayur Dorai. I have played extensively throughout the USA and India, for leading artists like N. Ravikiran, "Flute" Ramani, R. Vedavalli, and many more.
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Responses:
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- From: Nick H (UK) (@ nhaynes.adsl.wizards.co.uk)
on: Sun Jul 4 18:55:10 EDT 2004
Raju, what you say about arachapu is curious, and I have never heard anything like that before. It is certainly not the way that I have been taught to play (see above), but, as I have said, we have some different ways in our school, and there must be many small variations in the basic schools of playing that I've never heard about yet.
A good picture gallery of the strokes is to be found on J. Balaji's site: http://www.angelfire.com/mb/mridhangam/
He is a class-mate of my guruji, learning the PSP way from Ramanathapuram Shri.M.N.Kandaswamy, but also learnt the Palghat Mani Iyer school of playing. He shows some of the differences in the strokes.
- From: Raju B. (@ 213.42.2.26)
on: Mon Jul 5 03:32:17 EDT 2004
What are the various thalas one learns in the mridangam? These are the ones I know:
Adi Thalam (Chathurasrajathi Thriputa Thalam) [32 aksharakalam]
Roopaka Thalam (Chathurasrajathi Roopaka Thalam) [24]
Khandajathi Ata Thalam [56]
Khandajathi Eka Thalam [20]
Khanda Chapu Thalam (Chathurasram ) [10]
Misra Chapu Thalam (Chathurasram ) [14]
Roopaka Chapu Thalam [ ? ]
Anymore to the list? BTW, how does the Rupaka Chapu thalam go? Is it true that for different thalams with the same aksharakalam the same pattern and thaniyavarthanam can be played? For example Adi Thalam, Thisrajathi Matya Thalam and Khandajathi Jhampa Thalam each have 32 aksharakalam. Can the thani of Adi Thalam be played for all?
Thanks.
- From: K. Ravendradas (@ cache1-popl.server.ntli.net)
on: Tue Jul 6 11:16:43 EDT 2004
The thalams one learns are very little to the overall amount of thalams that can be used. Yes, and adi thalam thani can be played for any thalam of 32 aksharakalams. Rupaka chapu is 12 aksharakalam consisting of one anu drutham and a druthum.
- From: Raju B. (@ 195.229.241.180)
on: Tue Jul 6 14:59:01 EDT 2004
What exactly is the difference between a kappi mridangam and a kutchi mridangam? Why is it called so? What is kappi and kutchi? Which one has got better nadam?
- From: Nick H (UK) (@ nhaynes.adsl.wizards.co.uk)
on: Tue Jul 6 17:38:35 EDT 2004
Kapi/Kutchi: a frequently-asked question! We did cover this in this very forum a few weeks ago. You can find it towards the bottom of this page on my site: http://www.mridangam.com/mrdangam.html.
Which is best is entirely a matter of taste; they are different.
Why the names? I *believe* that kutchi is the name of the reed... If this is so, then the reasons are probably obvious to a Tamil speaker. But you probably understand Tamil, so I could well be all wrong on this
- From: Kumaran Ravendradas (@ cache1-popl.server.ntli.net)
on: Wed Jul 7 13:11:45 EDT 2004
Yes Nick you are right in saying that Kutchi means grass reed. However im not sure what kappi means.
- From: Nick H (UK) (@ nhaynes.adsl.wizards.co.uk)
on: Wed Jul 7 17:39:57 EDT 2004
It is interesting that the words are kind of (deep breath; I'll never spell this right...) Onomatopoeic
(...Phew). kuTCHI and kaPI; those syllables giving a clue to stronger vibration of kutchi and the finer sound of kapi. By the way; that's how I remember which is which!
- From: Raju B. (@ 195.229.241.188)
on: Thu Jul 8 01:40:05 EDT 2004
I have heard that the mridangams used in dance performances are ones with excellent nadam and clarity and these in turn are should not be used for concerts and the mridangams with not so good nadam which are used in concerts are not to be used in dance performances. How far is this true?
- From: Kumaran Ravendradas (@ cache1-popl.server.ntli.net)
on: Thu Jul 8 05:42:49 EDT 2004
Raju, i think you are incorrect there. In dance the mridangams are often tuned to the pachamam sruthi (the fifth note to which the singer is singing). An example of this was when Nick's Guru, M. Balachandar, recently played in a dance performance where the singer was singing at 3/4sruthi (B). The mridangist (m. Balachandar) played on a mridangam tuned to F# (pa). In concerts however the mridangam is always tuned to the tonic note.
- From: Nick H (UK) (@ nhaynes.adsl.wizards.co.uk)
on: Thu Jul 8 13:03:51 EDT 2004
I agree: a good mridangam is a good mridangam. Now, of course, not all mridangists will agree on what is a 'good' mridangam...
Dance is drama, and requires dramatic accompaniment, lots of chapu sound suits very well. A style of playing that compliments a dancer would be overpowering to a singer; I have heard it said by singers that mridangist X is a great player, but more suited to dance, and they don't like him so much on their concert platform.
Many mridangists will specialise in one or the other and not play both. Everyone likes to shout out praises for their own teacher, but watching mine play for dance and for concert is like watching two different musicians. Even though his concert style still contains much meetu and chapu, it is so much softer --- and I'm sure that he could play either on the same instrument.
I have heard him say about particular mridangams that don't have so much vibration that they would be good for studio recording but not so good on stage.
- From: Raju B. (@ 213.42.2.11)
on: Thu Jul 8 15:37:03 EDT 2004
U K S once performed an experiment on the mridangam using small pieces of copper wire in place of kutchi. It produced stunning nadam for the mridangam.
- From: Nick H (UK) (@ nhaynes.adsl.wizards.co.uk)
on: Thu Jul 8 18:49:39 EDT 2004
UKS has done many experiments with mridangam. It's great that some of the top people are doing inovations as well as tradition. We use other things in UK where actual kutchi is not obtainable.
- From: Nick H (UK) (@ nhaynes.adsl.wizards.co.uk)
on: Thu Jul 8 18:51:00 EDT 2004
I want to publicly salute Kumaran: I saw him play today and it was fantastic:-)
- From: K. Ravendradas (@ cache1-popl.server.ntli.net)
on: Fri Jul 9 05:27:26 EDT 2004
Oh thanks a lot Nick but i think we should really be saluting the Violinist yesterday. Sharna gave the audience a real masterclass on how the violin should be played.
- From: k. Ravendradas (@ cache1-popl.server.ntli.net)
on: Fri Jul 9 05:37:49 EDT 2004
Nick what you say about your guru is very true indeed. Modern day mridangists are moulded in a style which will suit both dance and concerts. I believe this makes carnatic music really boring.
UKS using copper wire as a kutchi replacement. I don't that is a bad idea at all. Certainly one of those bits of innovation that he is renowned for. However from what i have heard his Fibre glass mridangam was below par. I have heard natham is very poor despite it being much lighter.
- From: Raju B. (@ 213.42.2.22)
on: Fri Jul 9 09:08:12 EDT 2004
What is the order of importance of the following instruments?
Violin, mridangam, kanjira, tanpura, muharsing, ghatam, kinnaram.
How is the western classification for pitch/kattai? Which alphabets stand for which kattai?
- From: Kumaran Ravendradas (@ cache1-popl.server.ntli.net)
on: Fri Jul 9 10:57:38 EDT 2004
The violin varies in importance depending on the type of concert. If it is playing solo or not. Mridangam is the most important percussion instrument followed by the kanjira, ghatam and morsing. Thampura is required in all concerts to give the sruthi for the concert.
Pitch 1 is C
Pitch 2 is D
Pitch 3 is E
Pitch 4 is f
Pitch 5 is g
Pitch 6 is A
Pitch 3/4 IS B
Halfs of these pitches (i.e. 1 1/2 ) would be the sharp notes.
- From: Raju B. (@ 195.229.241.188)
on: Sat Jul 10 04:40:30 EDT 2004
Kumar,
How would denote a half pitch like 3.5 using the western classification?
Is it necessary to use sama-sruthi mridangams in dance performances? For eg, if the person is singing at A, then is it necessary to use an A pitch mridangam tuned Panchamam, or alternatively can we use a F pitch mridangam tuned to panchamam?
- From: Raju B. (@ 195.229.241.183)
on: Sat Jul 10 10:54:45 EDT 2004
Nick and Kumar,
SILICONE RUBBER:
First, I applied just a little to get a flat circle. It produced a characteristic chenda sound. I used the same amount of ravai - I use exactly I tablespoon of ravai on my mridangam, which produces excellent bass, and I want to achieve the same using silicone.
Next, I removed the silicone and went for the next try. This time I put a little more. This bass was better but I was not satisfied. So, I applied more silicone on top of the previous application i.e. after it had dried. This increased the bass negligibly. Again I removed the silicone.
contd...
- From: Raju B. (@ 195.229.241.184)
on: Sat Jul 10 10:55:16 EDT 2004
The third time I put lots of silicone (almost 3 tablespoons), but the circle was uneven, not flat. This time the thoppi did produce good bass although not as much as ravai would produce. I continued with this. After three days, the thoppi seems to be deteriorating in bass. I would occasionally push the thoppi inward to increase the bass. I dont know if this is the reason for the thoppi to slowly lose bass. So, once again I removed the silicone. Now, when I look at the circle it looks flat not thick as I thought it would be because I had applied lots of silicone.
Well, I am using the correct silicone rubber. The clear all purpose non-liquid type.
1. What shape should I make using the silicone: flat or conical?
2. You have read my novel, so tell me how much should I apply?
3. Which would have a greater effect a well spread circle at the centre or small concentrated circle?
Thanks.
- From: Kumaran Ravendradas (@ cache1-popl.server.ntli.net)
on: Sat Jul 10 11:13:46 EDT 2004
RAJU, in dance you have the luxury of being able to use a mridangam tuned to the tonic note or the 5th note (i.e. if the singer is singing at A then the mridangam can be tuned to A or E{which is panchamam}).
Silicone rubber should be applied to your liking. The shape has to be so it is comfortable for you to play. There is no difference in effect due to shape.
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