Music and Me

Importance of fundamentals in music

In anything that we learn, we must follow a proper sequence (if there is one). This will lead to strong fundamentals. Only if we have a strong foundation, we can be sure of good learning as we go ahead. This is true for carnatic music as well.
When we join a music class, we are taught things in a sequence. First the teacher would start with sarale varase then janti and so on. I had this bad habit of losing interest in learning things too soon. So amma used to tell the teachers to just start teaching from where I know. I never wanted to repeat the learning of anything. But today I know that it was wrong.
Now I find it difficult to identify ragas, sing akaram, not to sing apaswaram etc. Fundamantals should always be strong, no matter what the art or study is.

It is important to first practice the simple combinations of notes like GM , – GMP, – DDP, – PMG, – MGR, – GMGRS- and so on. Over a few sessions, the phrases can get perceptibly sophisticated.

Then, the same phrases can be rendered sung as just “aaaaaa”. This is called "akaaram". This opens your throat (at least that’s the simplest way of saying it). The clarity in singing improves if this can be done at the initial stages of learning. It is quite difficult to maintain the position of the notes that is being sung, when you sing it just as aaaaaa instead of any words. Thus, exposure to akarams is very essential at this stage, albeit in a simple form.

Varishais or Sequences:

The great composer Purandara Dasa, created a set of fundamental exercises nearly 500 years ago, which are followed even today.
There are 4 main types of varishais.

Sarali Varisais: The simplest sequences of the notes, where the notes are brought together one after the other. The stress initially is on the Ri and Ni. Then comes Dha and Ga. Then it goes on to Ma and Pa.
Janta Varisais: These are forceful sequences, plain the first time, and with force from the previous note (i.e. the note just below this note in frequency) in the raga the second time.
Melsthayi Varisai: Higher octave sequences. This is very important to be able to get a range of pitches in the voice.
Dhatu Varisais: These are zigzag sequences. Helps in being able to sing out of the regular sequence. We get used to singing Pa ma as a sequence, here we get to sing ga ma. This changes the sequence (just an illustration). This helps the voice to go up and down easily.

Alankarams: Here the concentration is on the talam rather then the voice. We learn mostly 7 different talams here.

Then there is also singing in various speeds. I know of speed 1, 2 and 3. But I recently read about speed 4, 5 and 6 also. Learning the different speeds again is very important. This strengthens the voice and helps the breath cycle. Continuous practice of this will help you to hold the breath longer and sing in a continuous manner whch makes it sound great.

All the varisais can be sung in akaaram again and practiced for the obvious reasons as already stated.

This is not only for beginners. People who have learnt music for years and still are not very strong in having a flexible voice (like me) can go back to these lessons and practice it. It really helps.
I dint know this till I went to my great teacher (Mrs Lalgudi Rajalaksmi) who actually taught me singing is something that is great. I owe my knowledge to a great extent to her. Though I do not sing too well (and have got lots of scoldings from her), my interest in music and the importance of fundamentals has been kindled by her (stopped my music classes long time back. But still am able to connect to it).

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