ALL MRIDANGAM STUDENTS

[unni]

hi my name is Unni. i am a rising mridangam student. there is one aspect of the mridangam i just dont seem to understand...the math behind playing the mridangam. if there are 10 aksharams....such as in this lesson i learned

Na Thin Thin Na
NaKa Thin Thin Na
Kitathaka Thin Thin Na
Tha LanGu Thakathimi Nakathari Kitathaka

Na Thin Thin Na
Tha LanGu Thakathimi Nakathari Kitathaka
NaKa Thin Thin Na
Tha LanGu Thakathimi Nakathari Kitathaka

Tha LanGu Thom Tha Tham
Tha LanGu Thakathimi Nakathari Kitathaka
Tha LanGu Thom Tha Tham
Tha LanGu Thakathimi Nakathari Kitathaka

my teacher says it's 3 1/2 + 3 1/2 + 3 1/2..........all i get from that is 10 1/2..what does that mean? where does he get 3 1/2 from and whats with the addition? can someone help me?

[Idiappam]

This is one of the initial lessons of Mirudamgam.

The lesson can be set to
8 atcharams - adithalam
14 atcharams - misra chappu 3 1/2 x4 = 14 .... insert a Karvai (pause) - after the first syllable 'Na'
10 atcharams - kandachappu 2 1/2 x 4 -10 .... play vilambam kalam - insert a karvai after the 3rd syllable!

Hope you understand. Else ask your teacher!

[viggop]

Idiappam Sir
Are you a mridangam player? ;-)

[unni]

but what are you counting when u say 3 1/2..and how do you know that it works..can you tell me step by step what's supposed to go through your head when you're counting?

[Idiappam]

Idiappam Sir
Are you a mridangam player? ;-)

Yes, not an expert tough!. It has been a long time since I went on stage accompanying!

[Idiappam]

but what are you counting when u say 3 1/2..and how do you know that it works..can you tell me step by step what's supposed to go through your head when you're counting?

3 1/2 beats, I am counting - misra chappu thalam, they call that. I count - 1231234 1231234....

That is said as
tha kki da | tha kka thi mi...
tha kki da | tha kka thi mi..... in mirudangam 'words'.

While counting you hands should go - wave, clap clap.. wave, clap clap. The wave extends 1 1/2 beats, while the claps 1 beat each - making a total 3 1/2 beats.

Well! What goes on through my head??? The lesson, of course ' Na Thin Thin Na NaKa Thin Thin Na'

wave ......| clap ...clap
tha kki da | tha kka thi mi
tha kki da | tha kka thi mi
Na.....Thin| Thin ...Na
Naka...Thin| Thin ...Na

Ha! Do you grasp anything??? :)

[unni]

i see. but the lesson i posted was taught as part of adi taalam.

he said adi thaalam starts with

na thin thin na
naka thin thin na
kitathaka thin thin na
na thin thin na

he said this has 8 aksharams so what would be the count for this?
__________________________________________________ ___
after that lesson he taught adi thaalam with 10 aksharams that's the lesson i posted first in the forum
( the beginning which is just to lead into the koraippu)
na thin thin na
naka thin thin na
kitathaka thin thin na
tha lan gu thakathimi nakathari kitathaka

then the koraippu and muthaippu...so if it's adi thaalam how can the count be 1231234? wouldnt it be 12345678 (or sometimes it's 12341234)
how can you measure if it's half a beat or a quarter of a beat or etc?? sorry for the annoying questions..i'm just really not getting it....

[viggop]

Idiappam Sir
Why did you leave the art in the middle? :-(
you are privileged to learn it and you have even accompanied artists in concerts as you say. Have u accompanied any famous carnatic musicians from TN?

if you move to chennai, famous mridangam artists like Karaikudi Mani,Umayalapuram Sivaraman have schools where they teach advanced practitioners like you.

[Idiappam]

Idiappam Sir
Why did you leave the art in the middle? :-(
you are privileged to learn it and you have even accompanied artists in concerts as you say. Have u accompanied any famous carnatic musicians from TN?

if you move to chennai, famous mridangam artists like Karaikudi Mani,Umayalapuram Sivaraman have schools where they teach advanced practitioners like you.

I started with Vocal (my teacher was a Nadaswara Vidwan), then went on the mirudangam - attracted by the deep, thrilling but soothing sound it made. Spent two years learning that! I played only for Temple Othuvars here - everyday for some 7 years. That's my 'vow' - only Tamil music, though during my learning days I played for all!

I can't continue, because of soldiering, studying, working and housemaking and , of course, hubbing - no time now for mirudangam. I still keep one mirudangam next to me - tuned to ondrarai kattai - ha! Bang on it before I bang the keyboard!

More about me - please PM! Don't bore others with my story!

[unni]

Hey i'm looking for another mridangam for purchase do you know where i can get one cheap in the U.S?

[Idiappam]

Unni wrote:


after that lesson he taught adi thaalam with 10 aksharams that's the lesson i posted first in the forum
( the beginning which is just to lead into the koraippu)
na thin thin na
naka thin thin na
kitathaka thin thin na
tha lan gu thakathimi nakathari kitathaka

Your teacher is right! This fits into athi Thallam - extends 2 atcharams extra - that is compensated earlier in the nadai (na thin thin na...) or in the Kuraippu and mudippu!

Lets count!
1.na thin 2.thin na
3.naka thin 4.thin na
5.kitathaka thin 6.thin na
7.tha lan gu 8.thakathimi 9.nakathari 10.kitathaka

try that!

[Idiappam]

Where is Mr. Nick Mirudangam, the resident mirudangist of the Hub?. He should come here and help!

[viggop]

Great mridanga vidwan website

http://www.palghatmaniiyer.org/

[unni]

Hey i finally got it.....basically what you said earlier is what my teacher told me..he actually wrote out the math and i get it....i feel really stupid because i JUST NOW realized that we are counting the muthaippu. i was counting from the koraippu and was getting much higher math...haha...man now i really feel like a beginner..i just now realized how far i have left to go.but it really makes me want to learn more and more. thanks for all your help. here is what my teacher had to say:
__________________________________________________ ___
"""Unni,

That is a great question and you are on the right track. You got the overall picture correctly here. The only thing that you failed to account for is that, during the third turn, you don't play the 'tham', but instead continue with the next lesson from 'NaThinThinNa'. This is the extra 1/2 that you are not able to account for.

In general, the other lessons are structured as:
2 + 1 + 2 + 1 + 2 = 8

This lesson (and a couple of others that we will discuss in class) is actually
(2+1) + 1/2 + (2+1) + 1/2 + (2+1) = 10

Does that make sense?

Regards and see you in class tomorrow,
Suresh Uncle"""
__________________________________________________ ___

after reading his explanation i truly understood what you were trying to tell me. it helped a little better to see the breakdown like he wrote it. Man i love the mridangam so much more each time i learn something new... how long u been into the art?

[viggop]

Unni
Idiappam Sir has been giving concert level performances with the mirudangam for nearly 7 years!!!! you can use his knowledge along with your guru's teaching to get more insight into mirudangam.
I think the world famous mridangist,Trichy Sankaran is loacted in Canada.You can join him once you become a advanced player of mirudangam. :)

[unni]

man 7 years...that's so encouraging. as for me becoming an advanced mridangist....i've only got 4 months so far but i'm getting there..one thing for sure tho...i'm really into it..and interested in learing more and more. i love talking, playing and reading or whatever it is about the mridangam.. i have my lessons playing in my head 24/7..haha...people like you that are so supportive and encouraging of the arts are the reason great talents and intrests are allowed to grow. i had my class today and what you guys told me really helped me in class. each time he said "shabhash" when i completed a muthaippu..i thought of what i would do if i hadnt understood the count and why i play what when... i think i'll return here often now because the lessons get harder and harder and i'll need more and more out of class help..haha...hope i can count on you guys.

[Idiappam]

Ok! Lets take a count on Athi thalam:

1.Na Thin 2.Thin Na
3.NaKa Thin 4.Thin Na
5.Kitathaka Thin 6.Thin Na
7.Tha LanGu Thakathimi 8.Nakathari Kitathaka

1.Na Thin 2.Thin Na
3.Tha LanGu Thakathimi 4.Nakathari Kitathaka
5.NaKa Thin 6.Thin Na
7.Tha LanGu Thakathimi 8.Nakathari Kitathaka

Mudippu (muthaippu)
1.Tha LanGu Thom Tha 2.Tham
Tha LanGu 3.Thakathimi Nakathari 4.Kitathaka
Tha LanGu 5.Thom Tha Tham
6.Tha LanGu Thakathimi 7.Nakathari Kitathaka
8.Tha LanGu Thom Tha 1.Tham <-------- you don't play this last 'tham', but go on to 'Na Thin ......'

That should be it! What do you say Mr Unni!

[viggop]

I spoke to a mridangist(amateur) yesterday.
He was saying things like Lagu(?)
,thirtham(clap),anuthirtham etc.(clap and wave) and each of these units of measurem,ents have subdivisions. etc.

and a whole lot of thing.
He said there are 7 types of talams etc.
as usual,i understood a little :(

[viggop]

he said to a right handed mridangam player, left side is called "thoppi" and right side is called "sadham".

I have heard "Dimiki kudukarathu" in Tamil for cheating but he introduced me to "Gumiki kudukarathu"(bass sound?) :lol:

[unni]

whoa..thank you...the numbers before each beat really helps..yeah i'm more used to drutham, laghu and anudrutham....that last post with the lessons reallly helped...is this a 8 aksharam lesson or 10 askaharam lesson? i think it's 8...

na thin thin na
tha lan thakitathaka naka tharikitathaka
naka thin thin na
tha lan thakitathaka naka tharikitathaka

tha lan thakitathaka naka tharikitathaka
tha langu thom
tha lan thakitathaka naka tharikitathaka
thalangu thom
tha lan thakitathaka naka tharikitathaka

we play the bolded part because it's 8 aksharams right? like on the 10 aksharam lesson where u saidnot to play the tham???

[Idiappam]

Let's count!

1.tha lan tha2.kitathaka 3.naka thari4.kitathaka
5.tha langu 6thom
tha lan7. thakita8.thaka naka 9.tharikita10.thaka
thalan11. gu thom
12tha lan tha13.kitathaka 14naka thari15kitathaka
16.thalangu 17.thom <---- Last Thom start of next avarthanam!

[Idiappam]

he said to a right handed mridangam player, left side is called "thoppi" and right side is called "sadham".

I have heard "Dimiki kudukarathu" in Tamil for cheating but he introduced me to "Gumiki kudukarathu"(bass sound?) :lol:

Thoppi because we slap that end, palm flat, producing the 'thop, thop' sound, probably!

Right side is called 'valanthalai' or 'valantharai' ..... 'sadham' refers to the black centre of that side.

'Gumiki' or 'gumkaaram' koduppadu - producing the 'goom' sound on the left by playing the 'thom' followed by a quick drag using the inner palm near the wrist - giving a slide in pitch. 'Thom' sound is produced when played open. Gumkaram - something like:

gum thari gugunthari guguthari gugunaka
gum thari gugunthari guguthari gugutharikita
gum thari gugutharikita gum thari gugutharikita
gugutha tharikita thom, gugutha tharikita thom,
gugutha tharikita thom,

[viggop]

Unni
Please check this and learn from great Sangita Kalanidhi Umayalapuram Sivaraman :)

[unni]

wait i dont understand the sliding the wrist area part.. you play thom and immediately slide the inner palm where?....is it where you play THA that you do it? another thing i wanted to ask..how much of a difference does it make when you put the paste mixture on the bass side? i've never played with it that's why i ask.. how do you apply it and how long can u use the same application? i heard that you must rub some oil on the bass side before applying the paste so it's easier to take off..does that mean that you have to remove the paste often?

[unni]

i forgot to ask this above..but can someone explain the tuning of a mridangam to me?

[viggop]

interview with Umayalapuram Sivaraman

http://www.musicindiaonline.com/ar/i/artist/183/3/general/1/

Lot of Tejas in his looks.

[unni]

an excerpt from the interview page:
"...But I would like to have more knowledge and play much better than I am doing now..."

i find it so wonderful that a man of his status and experience is so humble. he never says that he is best always that he wants to get even better than he is now...that's what i admire about him. i mean I personally think of myself as one of the least experienced mridangists i know and even kids that are younger and have been studying for a shorter time than me still PLAY as though they have more experience..but i pride on the fact that i have an honest interest in the art and always want to be better and better. i think a person that says he is best is someone who is too lazy to try for more than he has haha..just my opinion lol..but hey i started a new teka i'm done with na thin thin na FOR NOW as i said i never wanna be DONE per se..any of you guys know this one? it's the first one in it's set

the bold means that you play with thom and underline means you play "THA" with it instead of "Thom"

na thin na thin
na thin na thin

I KNOW SEEMS KIND OF ELEMENTARTY BUT AS I SAID I'M ONLY A BEGINNER WITH SO MUCH INTEREST THAT EVERYLITTLE NEW INFORMATION I LEARN ABOUT THE ART EXCITES ME OVERWHELMINGLY !! HAHA.

feel free to prepare me for what comes after that lesson and also anyone who knows a lot about putting ravai on the mridangam and playing and also about tuning the mridangam please explain those things to me...again i am in the U.S and i have little resources here for me to fully soak in the knowledge on the art. that's why i ask ur all's help.

[viggop]

Unni
If you go to chennai, you'll see little kids who are less than 10 years old play mirudangam so well.This was told to me by another amateur mridangam player.I think some people are born with the layam inside them.!

[unni]

yeah...it's the same with any art i guess. some ppl just have it and other don't...does anyone know where i can get a decent mridangam for purchase in the U.S?

[unni]

hey can anyone explain tani avarthanam to me?

[ramsri]

s 8...

na thin thin na
tha lan thakitathaka naka tharikitathaka
naka thin thin na
tha lan thakitathaka naka tharikitathaka



unni,
a variation of this lesson is:

na thin thin na
kita thaka thin thin na
naka thin thin na
tha kita thom kita thaka thith thalangu
(played twice over)

na thin thin na
tha kita thom kita thaka thith thalangu
naka thin thin na
tha kita thom kita thaka thith thalangu

tha kita thom kita thaka thith thalangu thom
tha kita thom kita thaka thith thalangu thom
tha kita thom kita thaka thith thalangu thom

alternatively, substitute the
tha kita thom kita thaka thith thalangu

with

thin tha thalangu thina thina thalangu

for more variety!

[unni]

i've been trying to log on for a long time to forumhub..finally let me back on. i have a question about the last post..ramsri please explain urself..i dont understand that last lesson...for some reason it doesnt fit the thaalam. after thalangu...there is one beat left right? or am i not playing it rite?..please explain i find that last post real interesting..and also how do you play "thith" all the ones' i've learned to play are:
Tha
Thi
Thom
Nam
Kita
Kitathaka
NakaThari KitaThaka
Chappu (Cha)
Thin
Thalangu
Thalantha
Thakathina
Dhikathina
Dha Ge

No thith.. do you mean THi?..please tell me how to play it..and also no one really explained how to play Gumuki also..thanks
--UNNI--

[Nick-H (UK)]

Hello, Idiappam, here is this humble morsing player who knows little beyond samam edipu adi talam lessons... ...

If you guys would obey two small rules of notation as taught by my guruji (and others), things would becom much easier!

first: PLEASE, include the intervals (karvais) denoted by comma ,
second: underline double-speed phrases

Unni: Thalangu is not three counts it is four. It is an exception to my rule No 1 that would have it written thalan,gu. Now you should be able to count it right.

I wish I had your attitude to learning: you will be a great student! Don't try to run and don't ask for all the explanations all at once!

Thani avartanam is the percussion solo section played by the mridangist and others during a carnatic concert.

Don't try to play too fast either: it is the sound of this beautiful instrument that matters! But tghen who am I to talk? I have barely practised this year...

[unni]

oh yes....please underline double-speed phrases that would help a lot..thanks for everything..nick how long u been learning?

[Nick-H (UK)]

I have been learning for a long time, but I call myself 2nd-year student because I hardly ever practice. I have interest in the music, but I am not working towards being a pro player.

I play morsing with student groups in UK, and occasionally more senior people --- I have played at two dance arangetrams here. You may even occasionally see me on Sri Lankan Tamil TV --- I once cam across a man from Russia who said, "I know you, I've seen you on television"!

My guruji is so generous with his knowledge that I have picked up many bits of information about mridangam that are not commonly known, but my memory and practice for playing is not good.

Still I love Carnatic music, and I joined class to have more understanding, not to be a player. That I have been on stage so much still amazes me!