Indian Classical Music and Sikh Kirtan

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Ghan vad

These are idiophones of self-sounding instruments which combine the properties of vibrator and resonator. Some of them are struck together as cymbals, clappers and khartal, while some are struck singly as bells, gong, chimta (a pair of tongs) and jaltarang (cups of water producing different notes). Some are shaken like rattles and manjira. These instruments are made of wood or metal or both. In addition there are earthen pots like matka or ghatam. Some of these instruments are useful for rhythm only, e.g., manjira, jhanjh, and khartal. As mentioned above, tat vad, sushir vad, and partly ghan vad come under the category of svara vad, as for example tanpura, sitar, bela, sarod, bansari, shehnai, harmonium, organ, piano and jaltarang. Avanad vad and partly Ghan vad come under the category of tal vad, e.g., mridanga, tabla, pakhawaj, damru, manjira, khartal and jhanjh.


STRINGED INSTRUMENTS

Some of the stringed instruments are described below, along with instructions regarding how to tune them.

1. Tanpura/Tamboora
This is one of the oldest and popular instruments used for accompaniment of vocal music. Being a stringed instrument, it is remarkable both for giving support to the notes of vocal music and as a drone. There are four strings in the tanpura. The first to the left is of steel. Sometimes in a tanpura is used for accompanying a male voice, the first string is of brass or bronze. This string is called oancham because it gives out the note of P. This is tuned to the P of the madhya saptak when accompanied by a harmonium. In the raga in which P is forbidden (as for instance in Malkaus raga), this string is tuned to M shudh. In the first place, the two middle strings of steel should be tuned to S of the male singer. The fourth string is of brass or bronze. It is tuned to S of the mandar saptak. (In the case of a female voice the S is set to fourth of fifth black reed of the harmonium). Some tanpurashave five to six strings. The normal tuning is P S S S. If there is no P in a raga, then tune M S S S. In case
of the fifth string, the tuning will be as such: If there is N in the raga, then P N S S S : if there is no N in the raga, then P S S S S: if there is no P in raga then M S S S S. In case of a 6th string, the tuning will be as follows: If there is NI in a raga, then P N S S S S: if there is no N in a raga, then P S S S S S; if there is P in a raga, then M S S S S S.

2. Sitar
Sitar literally is a form of the Persian word-sihtar-which means three strings. In the beginning, there were only three strings, but now seven strings are used. The components of a sitar are similar to those of the tanpura. It has a toomba, tabli, keel, dhurch, dand, gulu, atti gahan and sirra like the tanpura. It has however seven khootiyan (pegs) and one manka (bead). The sitarhas seven strings. The first string on the left is made of steel. It is called Baj-ki-tar. It is tuned to M of mandar saptak. This is the string which is more frequently used in playing the sitar. The second string is made of bronze and is called jori-ka-tar. The string is tuned to S of mandar saptak. The third string is made of bronze. This is also jori-ka-tar. The string is also tuned to S of mandar saptak like the second string. These two strings are tuned in the very beginning like the tanpura. The fourth string is made of steel. This is tuned to P of mandar saptak. The sixth string is made of thin steel and it s called chikari. It is tuned to S of mandar saptak. The seventh string is also made of thin steel and is also called chikare. It is tuned to S of Tar saptak. Some people tune the seventh string to the pancham (P) of madhya saptak.

3. Mikrab
This is the plectrum made of steel or brass which is worn on the right hand index finger. When the plectrum plays on the strings, it produces vibrations which causes different notes. When the plectrum touches the first string, the sound produced is of D and on the second is that of R. Some sitars have ab extra toomba (gourd) at the end of the neck or midway. The sitar is played with the following gat (sequences):

(a) Alaap: It corresponds to the vocal style of the raga.
(b) Jor: This is the playing of the raga on the sitar in medium tempo after the alaap and without tal.
(c) Jhala: Playing on the chikari strings in quick tempo which like D R R R - is called jhala. The first string gives the note of D, and the final chikari give the tone of R.
(d) Asthai and Antra: Asthai is fixed composition of the raga. The antra is the compliment to the asthai. In the improvisation of the raga, after asthai and antra, meend (gliding) and jamjam/murki (trill) are played frequently. Tans are also played.


Ghan vad

These are idiophones of self-sounding instruments which combine the properties of vibrator and resonator. Some of them are struck together as cymbals, clappers and khartal, while some are struck singly as bells, gong, chimta (a pair of tongs) and jaltarang (cups of water producing different notes). Some are shaken like rattles and manjira. These instruments are made of wood or metal or both. In addition there are earthen pots like matka or ghatam. Some of these instruments are useful for rhythm only, e.g., manjira, jhanjh, and khartal. As mentioned above, tat vad, sushir vad, and partly ghan vad come under the category of svara vad, as for example tanpura, sitar, bela, sarod, bansari, shehnai, harmonium, organ, piano and jaltarang. Avanad vad and partly Ghan vad come under the category of tal vad, e.g., mridanga, tabla, pakhawaj, damru, manjira, khartal and jhanjh.


STRINGED INSTRUMENTS

Some of the stringed instruments are described below, along with instructions regarding how to tune them.

1. Tanpura/Tamboora
This is one of the oldest and popular instruments used for accompaniment of vocal music. Being a stringed instrument, it is remarkable both for giving support to the notes of vocal music and as a drone. There are four strings in the tanpura. The first to the left is of steel. Sometimes in a tanpura is used for accompanying a male voice, the first string is of brass or bronze. This string is called oancham because it gives out the note of P. This is tuned to the P of the madhya saptak when accompanied by a harmonium. In the raga in which P is forbidden (as for instance in Malkaus raga), this string is tuned to M shudh. In the first place, the two middle strings of steel should be tuned to S of the male singer. The fourth string is of brass or bronze. It is tuned to S of the mandar saptak. (In the case of a female voice the S is set to fourth of fifth black reed of the harmonium). Some tanpurashave five to six strings. The normal tuning is P S S S. If there is no P in a raga, then tune M S S S. In case
of the fifth string, the tuning will be as such: If there is N in the raga, then P N S S S : if there is no N in the raga, then P S S S S: if there is no P in raga then M S S S S. In case of a 6th string, the tuning will be as follows: If there is NI in a raga, then P N S S S S: if there is no N in a raga, then P S S S S S; if there is P in a raga, then M S S S S S.

2. Sitar
Sitar literally is a form of the Persian word-sihtar-which means three strings. In the beginning, there were only three strings, but now seven strings are used. The components of a sitar are similar to those of the tanpura. It has a toomba, tabli, keel, dhurch, dand, gulu, atti gahan and sirra like the tanpura. It has however seven khootiyan (pegs) and one manka (bead). The sitarhas seven strings. The first string on the left is made of steel. It is called Baj-ki-tar. It is tuned to M of mandar saptak. This is the string which is more frequently used in playing the sitar. The second string is made of bronze and is called jori-ka-tar. The string is tuned to S of mandar saptak. The third string is made of bronze. This is also jori-ka-tar. The string is also tuned to S of mandar saptak like the second string. These two strings are tuned in the very beginning like the tanpura. The fourth string is made of steel. This is tuned to P of mandar saptak. The sixth string is made of thin steel and it s called chikari. It is tuned to S of mandar saptak. The seventh string is also made of thin steel and is also called chikare. It is tuned to S of Tar saptak. Some people tune the seventh string to the pancham (P) of madhya saptak.

3. Mikrab
This is the plectrum made of steel or brass which is worn on the right hand index finger. When the plectrum plays on the strings, it produces vibrations which causes different notes. When the plectrum touches the first string, the sound produced is of D and on the second is that of R. Some sitars have ab extra toomba (gourd) at the end of the neck or midway. The sitar is played with the following gat (sequences):

(a) Alaap: It corresponds to the vocal style of the raga.
(b) Jor: This is the playing of the raga on the sitar in medium tempo after the alaap and without tal.
(c) Jhala: Playing on the chikari strings in quick tempo which like D R R R - is called jhala. The first string gives the note of D, and the final chikari give the tone of R.
(d) Asthai and Antra: Asthai is fixed composition of the raga. The antra is the compliment to the asthai. In the improvisation of the raga, after asthai and antra, meend (gliding) and jamjam/murki (trill) are played frequently. Tans are also played.

Displaying Page 38 of 100