Musical Instruments and Musical Tuition questions

th3_saint

Hi people. Perhaps this has been asked before...
I'm not sure where to post it... Hope this is a good start

I'm interested in learning about the classical Indian musical traditions of both the North and the South. And think I would like to learn to play the Sarod (similar to and slightly smaller than a Sitar).

I will be travelling for 6 months, starting in the North and continuing to the South.

Question 1 is this: Will I be able to find a class for several weeks or someone to teach me musical theory and help me practise the instrument on an adhoc basis, or perhaps one off lessons? I understand that in India you take a Guru (or are accepted by one) who you stay with through out a kind of apprentiship. Will I be seen as a tourist who just wants to learn a little bit and move on (which is true!)? Or will I be welcomed as a way to spread the music of India??

Question 2: Where are good places to buy quality instruments? The Rough guide says Delhi (where I will be in week 1) and Kolkatta (where I will not be at all!). So this leaves me with a dilema, do I buy something straight off and lug it around for 6 months (or send it home?) or do I risk it and try to buy something later on but maybe of poor(er) quality??

Anyone who has some experience in these matters?? Any comments and suggestions appreciated.

I fly out today, so maybe I'll find out when I arrive... Good advice is always helpful thou.

Thanks peeps

Nick-H

Lot of difference between North and South music, as well as a lot of distance between them. The Sarod does not figure at all in Southern music.

I think you may find institutes that will cater for 'cultural tourists', but I don't know where to suggest you look.

Can I ask if you have any experience of Indian music yet? If, for instance, you had a teacher in London, it would be easier for you to be introduced to someone to spend time with in India as part of your ongoing learning.

TBH, learning something like this is unlikely to give you much time for travelling: it is very demanding. I also suspect that you've chosen a difficult instrument. Do you have experience of string instrument without frets eg violin? Is your pitch-sense good enough for such an instrument?

My recommendation: at least start your learning in London! The music is wonderful: Good Luck

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India Edge

th3_saint:
Nick's advice is sound on all counts. This is a difficult instrument. It is fretless with the fingering done not with the fingertips but with the fingernails. By all means though, take up the sarod! But look at it as a lifelong project and get a good teacher first. He can help you buy a quality instrument too, something you may not be able to do on your own.
Good luck, Greg

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contrabassista

Why don't you find a sarod teacher in London. Call your local temple. They can probably help you. Of course it is up to you whether you can actually work productively with this person. Once you have a teacher you like there you can take their advice on instrument rental or purchase. They can also advise you on what such activity you should undertake in India. It might determine your itinerary and lead you to places off the beaten path and contact with people unavailable to most tourists.

Do not buy an instrument on your own! Each teacher has a different idea of what he/she demands of an instrument. I know because I just helped a student select one tonight.

th3_saint

Great advice from all! Thank you.

I am now in India, so getting a teacher before hand is out of the question, but remains excellent advice! I have NO experience with unfretted stringed instruments (thought Sarod had frets?? Oops!) Maybe it's not the best choice!

I'm also a TEFL teacher so won't actually be permanantly based anywhere for some years to come... Maybe this is something to look into at another time in my life...

I'm also quite interested in learning Tabla, which perhaps has use in both northern and southern music... And will be easier/possible for me to continue with self study.

It's all a bit over whelming at the moment, so I'm just gonna take it easy and it will find me!

Trying to get to grips with Delhi for a few days before heading on out...

Again thanks for your advice.

contrabassista, I won't be choosing an instrument unaided, believe me!

Nick-H

Again, Tabla is the instrument of the North, it is played in South too, but our main percusion instrument is the mridangam. South Indian percussion is much richer, more varied and maybe, more complex, than that of the north: I commend it to you!

Try to be in Chennai sometime mid-december to mid Jan: it goes crazy with dozens of concerts daily. You can check out the Chennai music season at kutcheribuzz's special Season site

Just found a site to tell all about sarod Check out here

contrabassista

While you are in Delhi you might check out the Moti Mahal restaurant st Netaji Subhash Marg, Daryaganj. They have live music with a mix of electronic and traditional instruments. The area around there is full of musical instrument shops, so have fun looking and chatting with the owners. One invited us out to his factory, but we did not have time to go.

Wonderfully musical people, the Indians.

India Edge

Tabla is pretty much strictly N Indian. Also it has a rather long initial learning curve. You can easily spend the first year just learning to get the proper sound from the drum. As pointed out the mridangam has a richer and louder sound and the S Indian rhythm patterns can be very complex. Truly the king of hand drums.
I think you'd have to consider any Indian musical instrument as difficult - they're often somewhat fragile, can be harder to maintain and tune than western instruments, plus playing techniques are demanding and the music itself is complicated. But you should do it. I started learning tabla 3 years ago at the age of 49 and I can now play them a little bit. I don't have enough time to practice and I'll never get where I wanna be with them, but I'm really glad I made the effort - it's an amazing instrument.

Nick-H

Mridangam is not necessarily louder: it takes a lot of energy to make it loud! Again, it can take months just to approach the correct sound...

Nick-H

You can find some information at my site: www.mridangam.com. And I agree: the tiny bit I know means I have an inkling of just how difficult it is!

th3_saint

Wow, amazing stuff guys!

I've left Delhi now (without any musical discoveries of any kind) and am now in Chandigarh. A bout of food poisoning put me on my ass and as yet haven't found anything out about playing anything...

Will just have to see when it will all fit in with this sight seeing, sickness and train journies!

john.sw

You can get free percussion lessons online at my friend's web site.

There are MP3's, videos and PDF's.



Watch a close-up of Pete playing Tabla

www.petelockett.com

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Nick-H

Oh! Pete Locket is a friend of yours?

He learnt mridangam too, even did arangetram, I'm told.

I saw him play a year or two ago with Balachandar,my teacher; Pandit Sharda Sahai, a senior tabla player; and a guy who did incredible stuff with a fretless bass. I usually do not like fusion... this was one of the best concerts I've ever seen. Pete is brilliant.

th3_saint

Hi guys, I'm currently in McLeod Ganj, home of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government in exile. It's a brilliant place, we've been here over a week and don't really want to leave!

I've had a few Tabla lessons from an excellent teacher, he's very laid back and unimposing, had a bit of a jam session with two sets of Tabla, really cool!

His name is Kumar, he teaches Tabla, Sitar and Vocal techniques.
He has 8 years combined teaching (including teaching children) and 4 years with foreigners.
He has a Bachelor of Music from the Punjab University in Chandigarh.
He can sell you or advise on instruments too if you are interested in buying!


He teaches from the Kunga Guest house on Bhagsu road, which is joined onto the excellent Nick's Italian Kitchen

I really like the guy and feel a bit bad because I just got into the lessons and then it's time for me to move on. Also the low season is coming and times could get tough for him out here. He's not in the Lonely Planet or Rough Guide yet either so he needs a bit of a boost in his promotions!

So anyone looking for excellent music tuition, go to McLeod Ganj and look him up!