Teaching/Learning Karnataka Violin

To teach and learn Indian classical music
msakella
Posts: 2127
Joined: 30 Sep 2006, 21:16

Post by msakella »

Dear sister-member, praveena, My Yahoo messenger ID and Skype ID also is ‘msakella2002’. I shall start on 14th night for Bangalore and be back home in the morning on 21st . Again I shall start on 27th nigh for Tirupati and be back home in the morning on 1st Sep. Other than these days you can contact me. Generally, I get up around 4 am, become ready to work from 7 am and go to bed around 9 pm as per Indian time. Generally, I am used to be online at 8 am (may be around 6-30 pm of US timeings) daily, except on Sundays, to listen and teach my students online. You can also contact me at that time if it is convenient. If not, you can contact me at that time and fix some other convenient time to contact me.
In respect of these Jati-breaks, and as there are 3 varieties of each, you, according to the availability of your leisure time, can render each of these 3 varieties of 1 ½ or 3 Avartas for Trisra-jati, 2 ½ or 5 Avartas for Khanda-jati and 3 ½ or 7 Avartas for Mishra-jati. Better practice the first 2 varieties well for a long time and send me the audio-clippings to enable me listen to them and assess your rhythmical level to give you green-signal to proceed to the 3rd variety. Even before my green-signal if you proceed and fail to proceed, by that, you will get a ‘bad-habit’. No matter if you don’t get a good habit but you should not get any bad habit at all. This I am telling you just to prevent you from getting a bad habit.
As per 3rd video, in 8 Kriyas of Adi-tala, you should render ki-ta-ta-ka in each of the first 7 Kriyas and render ta-dhi-gi-na-ta in the last 8th Kriya by which only 1-unit, the last ta of ta-dhi-gi-na-ta will enter or protrude into the 1st Kriya of the 2nd Avarta. By that you have to render each ki-ta-ta-ka of each Kriya with a gap of 1-unit in the 2nd Avarta. Again, in the end of the 2nd Avarta. if you render ta-dhi-gi-na-ta with 1-unit gap, the last 2-units na-ta of ta-dhi-gi-na-ta will again be protruded into the 1st Kriya of the 3rd Avarta. By that, now, you have to render each ki-ta-ta-ka of each Kriya with a gap of 2-units in the 3rd Avarta. In the same manner, if you go on repeating in the 5th Avarta you can render ki-ta-ta-ka without any gap in the Kriya. Though not with video-aids, even audio-aids like Yahoo-messenger helps the aspirants well in solving such technical-problems.
Unless these kinds of intricacies of Laya are not taught by the music teachers, for their inefficiency or negligence or ignorance, their students will suffer a lot later without knowing their self-deficiency. You try your level best and send the audio-clippings. With best wishes, amsharma.

dattag
Posts: 4
Joined: 30 Jul 2007, 13:32

Post by dattag »

Sharmaji,

Namaskarams..

Thank you very much for all your Video recordings. I am from Bangalore. Want to know if you have any lectures scheduled in Bangalore. If this is the case then I can try to attend these.

Regards
Ganesh Datta

msakella
Posts: 2127
Joined: 30 Sep 2006, 21:16

Post by msakella »

Dear brother-member, dattag, The internationally reputed musicologist, Mahamahopadhyaya Dr.R.Sathyanarayana of Mysore is going to be felicitated at Sevasadana, Malleshwaram, Bangalore at a function to be held on 17th, 18th & 19th August, 2007 and I have been invited to speak on the ‘Teaching & Research in music in institutions of higher education’ on 18th from 11-45 a.m. to 12-30 p.m. In this connection I shall be arriving at Bangalore in the morning on 15th itself and stay with Mr. Vikram Sampath (9845209327) to guide him in music and from 16th night upto 20th evening I shall stay with Sangita Vidwan Shri Shrikantham Nagendra Shastry (23606380 & 9845415592). If possible you can attend this lecture and meet me. With best wishes, amsharma.

msakella
Posts: 2127
Joined: 30 Sep 2006, 21:16

Post by msakella »

Dear b/s-members, Now, three another Youtube links containing advanced Laya-exercises are furnished hereunder for the benefit of the aspirants. Among them, in the 1st link, Trisra, Khanda & Mishra-jati-breaks rendered in Chaturashra-jati-Triputa-tala i.e., Adi-tala in slow tempo @ 8-units in 2 beats per 2 seconds i.e., 4-units each of the hands are furnished, in the 2nd link the same is rendered with a single beat and in the 3rd link each Alankara once in Chaturashra-gati, next in Trisra-gati, next again in Chaturashra-gati and lastly in Trisra-gati, thus, all the seven-alankaras are sung consecutively. Hope our aspirants utilize these things properly and practice well. amsharma.
1. http://www.youtube.com/v/Lk5g4JiV2FM
2. http://www.youtube.com/v/bbUjhgqeuEc
3. http://www.youtube.com/v/85IFouO0Mr4
Last edited by msakella on 12 Aug 2007, 10:38, edited 1 time in total.

msakella
Posts: 2127
Joined: 30 Sep 2006, 21:16

Post by msakella »

Dear b/s-members, Now, 8 Nos. of Youtube-video-links are furnished hereunder pertaining to the Violin-demonstration of Natakuranji-Adi-Varna. Among them the contents are 1. Arohana & Avarohana of Natakuranji, 2.Pallavi 3.Anupallavi, 4.Muktayisvara, 5.Charana & Ettugadasvara-1, 6.Charana & Ettugadasvara-2, 7.Charana & Ettugadasvara-3 and 8.Charana & Ettugadasvara-4. In fact, teaching Varna is highly crucial as it lays the basic foundation of all the Kampitas and Gamakas and each and every Varna has to be well-demonstrated in person before the student clearing his ambiguity of the science of Kampitas and Gamakas. Just like imparting the correct knowledge of good vocabulary to a language student a well-planned demonstration of a Varna and its modification of 2 or 3 times while teaching an aspirant enlightens and enriches his/her knowledge of Kampitas and Gamakas. But, presently, as there is no scope of face-to-face teaching of the different techniques of Varnas I, having an itch of serving to the cause of music, am trying my level best to fulfill this pains taking job. Any lacunae could kindly be brought to my notice for improvement. amsharma.

1. http://www.youtube.com/v/QZYlwyEqoEc
2. http://www.youtube.com/v/DUzaigWbVqo
3. http://www.youtube.com/v/H3FAESrW0tU
4. http://www.youtube.com/v/5WIRmbdhke8
5. http://www.youtube.com/v/9cXovTg3rcg
6. http://www.youtube.com/v/HzQRrl25NJg
7. http://www.youtube.com/v/fCshjT8WUMw
8. http://www.youtube.com/v/6DzYgjPzPBE

msakella
Posts: 2127
Joined: 30 Sep 2006, 21:16

Post by msakella »

Dear b/s-members, Being a member of the South Zone Cultural Centre, Thanjavur, I have to attend its annual meeting to be held at Chennai on 29-08-2007. In this connection I shall arrive at Chennai in the morning on 28th itself and stay with my disciple Chi. Sow. Revathy Krishnan (Res.Ph.044-22434263 & 9381043208), Velachery. Anybody, who is interested to discuss any matters relating to music can feel free to contact me from 10 am onwards on 28th . amsharma.

praveena
Posts: 20
Joined: 24 Jul 2007, 15:15

Post by praveena »

Dear sir,

My humble Pranams to you............

Your videos are helping me a lot, thanking you for all your kindness. I will go through the video's and practice them.

Seeking your blessings.........................
praveena

msakella
Posts: 2127
Joined: 30 Sep 2006, 21:16

Post by msakella »

Dear sister-member, praveena, If my efforts are truly useful and helpful to our brothers and sisters to develop themselves in learning our Karnataka music, either Vocal or Instrumental, I am extremely happy to know that and, except that, I expect nothing from any corner. Even though I have stopped my Violin-practice even 15 years back I play my Violin only to teach the intricacies to my students or other aspirants and, even though, I am afraid that I play more apa-sruthis only, the severe itch to serve our kids alone is making me play Violin. To facilitate our aspirants gradually learn Violin in a systematic and well-disciplined manner I have made separate clippings of each part of the Varna. Hope this is helping you in the required manner. If you people want these clippings in any other manner you can indicate in your postings and, in such case, I, despite my old age, shall try to do my best. In this process, if my age permits me, I am thinking of playing other Varnas also in the Ragas, Kambhoji, Darbar, Sankarabharana, Kalyani, Begada, Todi, Saveri, Bhairavi (Ata) and Svarajati in Bhairavi for the benefit of our aspirants. In fact, the aspirants do not know what they do not know. That is why the ‘Guru’s’ help is mostly needed in these Arts. So, if you send me the clippings of your Violin play, then only, I can diagnose your defects properly and suggest the medicine. If not, un-knowingly, you practice more the defective techniques and become habituated to play the incorrect techniques only. There is nothing wrong if you do not have good habits but you should not get bad habits at all. Seriously mind that! I may seem strictly meticulous in harping upon such technical points by which you may also think that I am, somehow, discouraging the aspirants. I can’t help! Having never found a real ‘Guru’ in my lifetime I am always afraid of our kids who are innocently exposed to many of the in-efficient, insincere Gurus. With best wishes, amsharma.

sureshjm
Posts: 44
Joined: 12 Sep 2007, 13:43

Post by sureshjm »

Dear Amsharmaji. I would like to introduce myself first . I am Suresh. I have been learning violin for the past 12 years. I learnt under parur school style. I right now live in Toronto. I love the way you stress so much importance to Laya. I see a lot of shortcomings in these days students since they lack laya knowledge and their music lacks synchrnosation in sound . I was fortunate to have learnt under a guru who taught me every intricacies of laya and at times we also had the opprtunity to play with the mridangist. I did go through all your clippings and those clipping the gamaka alnkaras played by your students is noteworthy for the learners. I wish you with your knowledge could bring up some videos of all the rudimentary practices like alankaras and sarali swarams and briga swarams if plyayed by your students. everything that is essential to learn before learning the krithis. this coudl be really helpful for the learners and coudl make even an uninitiated to have a glance and try. This coudl be helpful also to those people who missed out the rudimentary execrcises like playing brigha exercises and gmamka exercises (or may be to those not perfectly taught). and playing to practice in Tanam bow.

I seek your blessing once again.

Suresh

sbala
Posts: 629
Joined: 30 Jul 2006, 08:56

Post by sbala »

I had the privilege of meeting Sharmaji, Kji and Rajumds a few weeks back. Sharmaji's perspectives on teaching are so enlightening and it resonated with some of the work Ive been doing and intend to do so in the near future. I had a client call that evening but the wisdom I was receiving was so valuable that I decided not to leave in the middle and assimilate whatever I could.
Last edited by sbala on 12 Sep 2007, 17:32, edited 1 time in total.

gnjb
Posts: 58
Joined: 29 Aug 2007, 21:05

Post by gnjb »

hello everyone,
can anyone suggest a good violin teacher for my 12 year old son in chennai?? we live abroad therefore he would only be coming down to india during summer or december vacations. thanks a lot.
regards.

msakella
Posts: 2127
Joined: 30 Sep 2006, 21:16

Post by msakella »

Dear brother-member, sureshjm, Blessings. I feel extremely happy to find a Violinist of my school and thank you very much for your kind comments. As you wrote the Violin-students of these days are not exposed much to the Laya-intricacies and, by that, are having a lot of shortcomings. Even in my umpteen experiments made upon my students I have found the students who are well exposed to all the different Laya-intricacies are getting lot of self-confidence and are able to do things efficiently and successfully. That is why I, being basically a Mridangist in the beginning, have formulated different kinds of rhythmical exercises and been insisting upon learning and strictly practicing all of them along with Metronome as per the suggestion made by Shri M.S.Gopalakrishnan himself to me when I first met him in 1959. As you wrote, I am in the process of bringing out many of the finger-techniques through my video-clippings and, even in spite of my old age; I earnestly wish to do this for the benefit of our aspirants. A person who is habituated always to keep himself running can, very easily, sit whenever he wants but the person who is habituated always to sit can never run. In the same manner, even though many may not agree with me, it is always desirable to a Violinist to expose himself to all kinds of practices of Gamakas. I always do the same with all my students. Thanking you once again and with best wishes, amsharma.

ganesh_mourthy
Posts: 1371
Joined: 02 Sep 2007, 23:08

Post by ganesh_mourthy »

Dear Amsharmaji. Pranams. As Sureshjm has mentioned it would be great if you coudl put a video of all the brigha exercises and gamaka exercises as per your school system. This helps learners to incorporate techniques of various banis. Those gamaka alankarams played by your students was really useful. I am looking forward for your reply.

Ganesh

msakella
Posts: 2127
Joined: 30 Sep 2006, 21:16

Post by msakella »

Dear brother-member, ganesh mourthy, I am trying to serve the cause of our music in my own humble way and I shall definitely do the needful if you define some of the brighas and gamakas you want along with suitable notation. amsharma.

ganesh_mourthy
Posts: 1371
Joined: 02 Sep 2007, 23:08

Post by ganesh_mourthy »

Dear Sharmaji, I fully understand that it is a bit demanding to ask you to put up the video of your fingering style, especially considering your age. But it is is my yearning for music that made me to ask so. I was taught only the basic exercises with taal for 2 years before I stepped into any Varnam. ( many impatient students who wanted a overnight course escaped halfway through). I very well know the importance of rigorous practice of all the basic lessons in various speeds in tune to taala. This only can make your kirthi playing pleasing to the ear with variety.
Especially for the brigha we used to do the following sequences without pause or deerga
1.sa ri sa sa .....ri ga ri ri...... ga ma ga ga........
2. sa ri ga ri ri sa ........ri ga ma ga ga ri .........
3. Sa ga ri ri sa ....ri ma ga ga ri
4. sa ri sa sa ri sa sa ri sa sa......ri ga ri ri ga ri ri ga ri ri...

These are some of the the brigha exercises that we constantly practice at various speeds on all the four strings for various raaga.

I would like to know if there is any thing similar that you also teach to your students and am curious to see that in the video. This you could choose to do on your convenience and feasibility and this is just a request.

Thank you
Ganesh

unnikrishnan
Posts: 2
Joined: 19 Sep 2007, 22:42

Post by unnikrishnan »

the video clips on youtube on violin basics i very informative.
But I am getting the video clips with lot of breaks in between by which i am not able to comprehend anything between the video and the finger movemennts. what is the reason, can you please explain

Suji Ram
Posts: 1529
Joined: 09 Feb 2006, 00:04

Post by Suji Ram »

unnikrishnan wrote:the video clips on youtube on violin basics i very informative.
But I am getting the video clips with lot of breaks in between by which i am not able to comprehend anything between the video and the finger movemennts. what is the reason, can you please explain
It happened to me on one of the computers, but the other one was Ok. reason I do not know..

ganesh_mourthy
Posts: 1371
Joined: 02 Sep 2007, 23:08

Post by ganesh_mourthy »

it is always good if you download and watch the you tube clips frm your hardisk.

ganesh_mourthy
Posts: 1371
Joined: 02 Sep 2007, 23:08

Post by ganesh_mourthy »

Dear Sharmaji, I fully understand that it is a bit demanding to ask you to put up the video of your fingering style, especially considering your age. But it is is my yearning for music that made me to ask so. I was taught only the basic exercises with taal for 2 years before I stepped into any Varnam. ( many impatient students who wanted a overnight course escaped halfway through). I very well know the importance of rigorous practice of all the basic lessons in various speeds in tune to taala. This only can make your kirthi playing pleasing to the ear with variety.
Especially for the brigha we used to do the following sequences without pause or deerga
1.sa ri sa sa .....ri ga ri ri...... ga ma ga ga........
2. sa ri ga ri ri sa ........ri ga ma ga ga ri .........
3. Sa ga ri ri sa ....ri ma ga ga ri
4. sa ri sa sa ri sa sa ri sa sa......ri ga ri ri ga ri ri ga ri ri...

These are some of the the brigha exercises that we constantly practice at various speeds on all the four strings for various raaga.

I would like to know if there is any thing similar that you also teach to your students and am curious to see that in the video. This you could choose to do on your convenience and feasibility and this is just a request.

Thank you
Ganesh

msakella
Posts: 2127
Joined: 30 Sep 2006, 21:16

Post by msakella »

Dear brother-member, ganesh mourthy, It is true, as you wrote, my age is not allowing me to do many things of my choice. However, I shall ask my disciple to play some of the exercises and Varnas on a single string and upload them to Youtube. It may take some time and kindly bear with me.
I am surprised to know that you have been taught the basic exercises themselves for 2 years. That is why I have experimented upon many of my students and arrived at a method of teaching by which we can quicken the process of teaching increasing their efficiency. In a span of two years my students are able to play Svarakalpana with intricate mathematics along with brief Ragalapana as per my new method of teaching. amsharma.
Last edited by msakella on 20 Sep 2007, 20:26, edited 1 time in total.

Sam Swaminathan
Posts: 846
Joined: 04 Feb 2010, 08:45

Post by Sam Swaminathan »

Hi Ganesh_mourthy

Yesterday for the first time, I went into this site with a view to start the learning process. But I could not open even one single file. I then went to You tube site itself and searched for Sharmaji's lessons. I found in one place about 28 of them. While I could play them there, I could not down load them.

Would you be kind enough to explain as to how to download these from youtube?

I would be thankful to you for this education......regards.....Sam

Sam Swaminathan
Posts: 846
Joined: 04 Feb 2010, 08:45

Post by Sam Swaminathan »

Dear Sharmaji

As I had written to you earlier, I am going to be in Chennai between Sep 30 and Oct 12. Is there any possibility of you coming down to Chennai on any engagement? If not, then, I will try and fly down to your place for a day to seek your blessings. I would be grateful for your kind reply along with your physical address...

Kind regards

Sam

msakella
Posts: 2127
Joined: 30 Sep 2006, 21:16

Post by msakella »

Dear brother-member, Sam Swaminathan, Blessings. Between 25th and 28th I shall be at Tirupati, and between Sep., 30th and October 6th I shall remain at Hyderabad only. Again, may be on 7th or 8th I have to leave for Shimoga (Karnataka) where I have a Lec-dem on 13th with preceding another workshop for 3 or 4 days in that area. Last month I had been to Chennai for a meeting and presently there is no plan to go to Chennai. After arriving at Chennai please give me a ring to my telephone number ‘040-27054232 or Cell – 94407 62711’ and we shall finalise our meeting. My residential address is – ‘10-283/9/1/1, Vasanthapuri Colony (VPC-200), Malkajgiri, Hyderabad – 500 047’ and my ID on both Yahoo Messenger and Skype is ‘msakella2002’.Generally, if I am in station, I shall remain online around 7 am and pm., daily, unless the power or phone is cut. With best wishes, amsharma.

ganesh_mourthy
Posts: 1371
Joined: 02 Sep 2007, 23:08

Post by ganesh_mourthy »

Dear Sam Swaminathan.

Downloading is not a big deal. I shall help you depending on where you are staying. ........are you in india?. can you gimme your email address where I shall forward the pdb file about this.

Sam Swaminathan
Posts: 846
Joined: 04 Feb 2010, 08:45

Post by Sam Swaminathan »

Hi Ganesh

If you have double clicked on my name on the left, you would have seen my personal profile. I live in NZ and my email address is

shanthi@xtra.co.nz

thank you for the kind assistance.

It still beats me as to why I could not save it straight from this site itself. Previously, all I had to do was [ right click on the link, choose the option save target as]. And when I do this, I get a funny message reading

Interenet cannot download from Youtube.com etc etc etc.

I await your instructions.

Regards

vasanthakokilam
Posts: 10956
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 00:01

Post by vasanthakokilam »

Sam, what you write about right clicking and saving works for mp3 and .wav links but not for YouTube. You need other tools for that.

Sam Swaminathan
Posts: 846
Joined: 04 Feb 2010, 08:45

Post by Sam Swaminathan »

vk.....HELP !!!! PLEASE !!!!!!

Sam Swaminathan
Posts: 846
Joined: 04 Feb 2010, 08:45

Post by Sam Swaminathan »

Hi Ganesh

Hope you have not forgotten me.....!!!!!

thanks.....sam

vasanthakokilam
Posts: 10956
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 00:01

Post by vasanthakokilam »

Sam, I sent you an email with a possibility. Did that work?

Also try this: http://www.xilisoft.com/download-youtube-video.html
It also comes with a .flv player.

miss_mercury
Posts: 4
Joined: 25 Sep 2006, 17:16

Post by miss_mercury »

Dear Sharmaji,

I am astounded by your enthusiasm and dedication to this field. I greatly appreciate the videos that you had posted, which is of immense help to me. I'm just a beginner in this field, i've just started to learn to play the violin, an year and a half back.
I'm learning to play varnas these days and find it really hard to play gamakas, it is then i found this great thread you had started.
Now I am learning to play gamakas watching the videos, and Varnas doesn't seem to be hard anymore, your videos have made me confident! I can't thank you enough, sir..

Seeking your blessings..

and, Thank you very much indeed Sir!

Rasi..

msakella
Posts: 2127
Joined: 30 Sep 2006, 21:16

Post by msakella »

Dear sister-member, miss_mercury, I felt extremely happy to know that my earnest service to the cause of music through these video clippings is really paying the required dividends by becoming truly helpful to the aspirants like you. Even though it takes some more time plans are afoot to play and provide nine more Varnas including Bhairavi-Ata-Varna along with Bhairavi-Svarajati. By all this if a Violin-aspirant meticulously follows them and practices them regularly he/she will definitely get a very good base to become a successful Violinist.
If the teacher, being truly efficient, sincere, affectionate and loyal, teaches, initiates and guides his/her students and the students also, in turn, put their efforts sincerely the things become very easier to the students. To the aspirant who has the required rhythmical instinct it is not at all difficult to get through if the true teacher guides him properly. Teaching or learning Varnas is highly crucial in music, which decides the future of the aspirant. If you have any doubts you can contact my ID ‘msakella2002’ either by Yahoo messenger or Skype and I am always ready to serve people like you. With best wishes, amsharma.

miss_mercury
Posts: 4
Joined: 25 Sep 2006, 17:16

Post by miss_mercury »

Dear Sharmaji,

Thank you very much, I shall certainly not hesitate to contact you when I come across any doubts. I'm looking forward for the nine Varnas to practice and once again thank you very much indeed for all the effort and dedication. I Wish i lived in India to learn from you in person.

Seeking your blessings...

Rasi..

bhsham
Posts: 2
Joined: 30 Jun 2007, 14:40

Post by bhsham »

I have been listening to Carnatic Music for few years now. It has however been only 6 months since I started attending violin classes. I am in the geethams stage now.

I am wondering if anybody could help me out with how should particular swaras be rendered in playing a raaga to bring out its true form? (viz., idea on which swaras needs to have the touch of adjacent swaras, which of them need to be prolonged etc.). Just so that I get the correct perspective at the initial stage itself.

The geethams that are a part of the material that has been provided to me by my teacher include -

Sri Gananatha/Kundagoura/Padumanabha - Malahari
Vara Veena - Mohanam
Kamalajaladala - Mechakalyani
Analekara - Suddha Saveri
Kamalasulochana - Ananda Bhairavi
Sri Lola Sritapaala - Malayamarutam
Mandaradhare - Kamboji
Jaya Jayaa - Begada
Sr Girijasuta - Aarabi
Meenakshi Jaya Kaamakshi - Sri
Vani Veena - Hindolam

Any advice would be of immense help.

Sharmaji -
I am being trained by Vidwan G.S Ananda's spouse. I was told that Ananda sir is your disciple.

~ Bharath
Last edited by bhsham on 06 Oct 2007, 16:41, edited 1 time in total.

msakella
Posts: 2127
Joined: 30 Sep 2006, 21:16

Post by msakella »

Dear brother-member, bhasham, You are well aware that a long procees of hardwork is there to arrive at the level to construct a sentence in a language. In the same manner there is a long process to go through before finding the different facets of notes. It is not that easy to write here about it. However, it is easier to explain these details by talking on Yahoo Messenger or Skype (my ID is ‘msakella2002’ on both) if you already have the knowledge of the 12 notes of an octave irrespective of the number of Gitas you have already learnt. If you are interested you contact me like that.
Shri G.S.Ananda of Yelahanka, Bangalore, is a very good friend of mine but not disciple at all.
amsharma.

bhsham
Posts: 2
Joined: 30 Jun 2007, 14:40

Post by bhsham »

Dear Sharma Sir,

Thanks a lot for offering to help. I have added your ID in my Yahoo Messenger. When are you usually online? - Just so that I can seek your advice then.

Regards,
Bharath

msakella
Posts: 2127
Joined: 30 Sep 2006, 21:16

Post by msakella »

Dear brother-member, bhsham, Generally, if the power and my computer are ok and If I am in the station, I shall remain online around 7am and 8pm daily. If you want any particular time you can suggest in the instant message and I shall try to remain accordingly. amsharma.

msakella
Posts: 2127
Joined: 30 Sep 2006, 21:16

Post by msakella »

Dear b/s-members, Today I am uploading the last two video-clippings in which Natakuranji-adi-varna is played in the 2nd of speed and 12 video-clippings of Kambhoji-adi-varna for the benefit of the aspirants along with the respective links as furnished below. For the benefit of the aspirants I have included the Violin-play of the 2nd degree of the respective Varna also.
While uploading them some video-clippings were not furnished with the embedded number but with URL only. I do not know what URL means. I know a very little of music and nothing else. However, I am furnishing all the details I got and the aspirants can try on their own visiting Youtube and searching for ‘karnataka-violin-lessons’ or ‘karnataka-violin-edxercises’ or ‘varnas-demos’.
In the details ‘AA’ indicates Arohana and Avarohana of the Raga, ‘P’ indicates Pallavi, ‘A’ Anupallavi, ‘M’ Muktayisvara, ‘C’ Charana, ‘C & E1’ Charana and Ettugada-svara-1, ‘E2’ Ettugada-svara-2 and so on, ‘Pur.’ Purvanga and ‘Utt.’ Uttaranga. amsharma.
1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhNWlRZO8mk
2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QWkhy8XuEs
3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otoDI8rcMDk
4. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eawRtBqPihA
5. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwWt4AotBVA
6. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yizgf9gQoSk
7. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U21-Mnaupag
8. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTgYuK8cFtw
9. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Go6rmNbH6wg
10. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjWUbSzKh00
11. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqiBbdLr61I
12. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGTWPAPitJM
13. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbt6UgfmsfA
14. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxdubeVSPxg
Last edited by msakella on 07 Oct 2007, 10:57, edited 1 time in total.

bahudari
Posts: 18
Joined: 29 Aug 2007, 14:36

Post by bahudari »

All videos uploaded by Sharma sir can be accessed at http://www.youtube.com/msakella . There are about 40 videos now.
Last edited by bahudari on 08 Oct 2007, 11:32, edited 1 time in total.

msakella
Posts: 2127
Joined: 30 Sep 2006, 21:16

Post by msakella »

Dear b/s-members, Today, on the auspicious Vijayadashami day, wishing every success to all the aspirants, I have uploaded 11 video-clippings of Darbar-adi-varna for their benefit along with the respective links as furnished below. Among them.’3.04’ of the Muktayisvara created some trouble and to overcome that I had to upload it 3 or 4 times every time changing the title. However, being a non-technical man, I am furnishing the available link, which may give you the ‘Muktayisvara’. In the details ‘AA’ indicates Arohana and Avarohana of the Raga, ‘P’ indicates Pallavi, ‘A’ Anupallavi, ‘M’ Muktayisvara, ‘C’ Charana, ‘C & E1’ Charana and Ettugada-svara-1, ‘C & E2’ Charana and Ettugada-svara-2 and so on, ‘Pur.’ Purvanga and ‘Utt.’ Uttaranga. amsharma.
01. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCqqpC6qnQQ
02. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRfb9c5Ykw4
03. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvDliikxz10
04. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMjxwlJMdWw
05. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=od4hy5HPFHw
06. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zxqb4dAEj-A
07. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfaY1eXZA00
08. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44pmaZDH0D4
09. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=laTraPyA92s
10. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3GxlQQm3jM
11. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPUhECZHsQI

Notes: The original link for item 04. http://www.youtube.com/v/9fc-fcqEPyE is inoperable.
Last edited by msakella on 22 Oct 2007, 14:35, edited 1 time in total.

Suji Ram
Posts: 1529
Joined: 09 Feb 2006, 00:04

Post by Suji Ram »

msakella ji,
Thank you so much for uploading darbAr varna. It is my favorite varna.

msakella
Posts: 2127
Joined: 30 Sep 2006, 21:16

Post by msakella »

Dear sister-member, Suji Ram, Unfortunately I was unable to upload the Mukatayisvara of this Darbar-adi-varna. I am thinking of finding a way out for this. amsharma.

msakella
Posts: 2127
Joined: 30 Sep 2006, 21:16

Post by msakella »

Dear b/s-members, The 4th item of the above video links pertaining to Darbar-Adi-Varna-Muktayisvara has become inoperative due to some unknown technical reasons. Today I have tried in some other different way to upload the same and, only God’s grace, I have succeeded and now I am furnishing it hereunder for the benefit of our aspirants. amsharma.
04. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMjxwlJMdWw

vasanthakokilam
Posts: 10956
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 00:01

Post by vasanthakokilam »

msakellaji, thanks very much for all your efforts. I have updated your original post with the new link for item 4.

msakella
Posts: 2127
Joined: 30 Sep 2006, 21:16

Post by msakella »

Dear brother-member, vasanthakokilam, Thanks a lot for helping me every time. amsharma.

msakella
Posts: 2127
Joined: 30 Sep 2006, 21:16

Post by msakella »

Dear b/s-members, As many are aware, learning music is tougher than learning any other subject upon earth, as instinctive capabilities are also required in learning this art and, also along with heavy mental exertion, much strenuous and regular physical exertion is also a must in learning this invisible art of sound. For regular practice and also for learning the regular lessons the most precious time between 3 a.m. and 12 noon is highly preferable to attain high standards by giving the first preference to this art. More over, in addition to all the above, it is very important to note that, even before 15 years of age, three-fourths of the required practice of the art, at the least, must become over. In the process of day-by-day gradual increase of the age the possibilities to invest much of the mental and physical abilities gradually decrease discouraging the aged aspirants.

At this juncture, generally, the Violin teachers start Varnas in the Ragas Mohana, Hamsadhvani with plain notes and Shankarabharana with minimum Gamaka and many of the students learning Violin lag behind in the left-hand-finger-techniques by starting with these Varnas. By this mostly many of them drop in the middle and only a very few of them proceed further. In our Karnataka music we have three notes, Sadharana-gandhara, Shuddha-madhyama and Kaishiki-nishada, which have to be used mostly with Gamaka having higher range of Gamaka in the traditional treatment than any other note. Even among these three notes while the Shuddha-madhyama has to be played with the middle-finger alone the other remaining two notes, Sadharana-gandhara and Kaishiki-nishada have to be played with the group of three-fingers, pointing-finger, middle finger and ring-finger. If the students are trained in such a way that they get much acquaintance with this higher-range of traditional-gamakas which incorporate the group of these three fingers they will get confidence in playing these traditional-gamakas and become able to proceed further and further in Violin-play. Basing upon this logic and also to instill self-confidence in the Violin-students I have introduced bow-less practice of different exercises, which I have furnished in some of my video-clippings for the benefit of the aspirants. After finishing these exercises first without the bow and later with the bow I start the 3 Varnas in these ragas, Natakuranji, Kambhoji and Darbar, covering the above three critical notes and later teach the Varnas in Shankarabharana, Kalyani, Begada, Todi, Saveri, Bhairavi and lastly Svarajathi in Bhairavi, in the same seriatim by which much of the finger-techniques will be covered after which the student can learn Kritis on his own without much dependency upon the teacher.

At this juncture, it is also very important to note that any student, unless he becomes able to reproduce the 28th exercise of the mp3 CD properly and successfully, cannot go through these left-hand-finger exercises successfully due to lack of the required level of Laya. Even though many of the Violin-teachers will not agree with me in this respect I have found this truth by experimenting upon a number of Violin students. That is why I have demonstrated and furnished some of these Laya exercises for this purpose in my mp3 CD that is available from http://www.sangeethapriya.org/~chandra/. Even though this teaching of violin should only be made face to face with the student I am also trying to find the possibilities in teaching this through Yahoo Messenger or Skype, which helps learning Violin even by being far away from the teacher.

Keeping all the above in view, till now, I have uploaded 51 video clippings pertaining to Laya-exercises, Violin-lessons and Demonstrations of 3 Varnas in the Ragas Natakuranji, Kambhoji and Darbar through Youtube.com.

At this old age of 70 yrs., even though I have long ago given up either the Violin practice or even the profession of Violin but teach only 1 or 2 truly talented full-time students without charging even a single pie from them, I, being a non-technical man, have undertaken the strenuous job of recording all these video-clippings and uploading them for the benefit of our aspirants (Of course, on the other hand, I am also engaged in bringing out another modified version of the mp3 CD carrying many different exercises and Varnas along with the audio-tracks containing the details of all the Gamakas of Karnataka music). But, till now the response received from the aspirants towards either the ‘Talaprastara’ or the ‘Easy Muktayis - their utilization in Svarakalpana’ is not much encouraging and even the response towards this ‘Teaching/Learning Karnataka Violin’ is also very meagre. So, hereafter, taking also my physical and mental healths into consideration, I have decided to proceed further, only taking the future response and the improvement from the aspirants into consideration. amsharma.
Last edited by msakella on 24 Oct 2007, 06:33, edited 1 time in total.

dattag
Posts: 4
Joined: 30 Jul 2007, 13:32

Post by dattag »

Dear Sharma Garu, my pranams to you.

I got enormous amount of learning from your videos that you posted in you tube. I am practicing the Janti varasai and alankarams with Gamaks as you demonstrated. I am still in stage of learning Geethams and very much looking forward to make use of varnams videos when I come to that stage.

Thanks a lot... I am sure the effort you have put in might be siliently educating lot of aspirants like me.

Best Regards
Ganesh Datta

msakella
Posts: 2127
Joined: 30 Sep 2006, 21:16

Post by msakella »

Dear brother-member, dattag, Out of my teaching experience in Violin for 40 years I can tell that in Indian Music Violin teaching or learning is very highly complicated and at every millimeter there is every scope of getting one defect or other in the usage of fingers while playing it. At the first instance the teacher must be efficient in teaching and a professional artist, take the responsibility of the student and be always vigilant upon the student not to let him get acquaintance with any wrong fingering. For this, the student must practice in the presence of the teacher only at every stage. But, this is not possible with the students remaining at far-off places like you and thus they get into wrong fingerings which is very difficult to get out of them. A person may not have good habits, but, he should not have bad habits. This very well applies to Violin-play, in particular. People may think that I am always used to exaggerate things. But, as I have never been taught Violin properly by any teacher in my life and I had undergone so many hurdles in becoming a Top-rank Violinist.
I am very well aware that, unlike the bad things, good things start working very slowly and silently. I feel extremely happy to receive your response and, at the same time, to know that my efforts are becoming useful to our people, even on slow pace.
Last time you wrote in you post No.52 that you would meet me at Bangalore but you did’nt. Even in this month I was in Banglore for 3 days on the way to Chimoga for a Lecture-demonstration. Had you given me your phone number, at the least, I would have made a phone call. Even now let me know your postal address and phone numbers to enable me contact you if I go over to your place again. As the video pictures lag behind in Yahoo-messenger or Skype, you better try to send me some video clippings of your Violin-practice through e-mail, if possible, to enable me see them and properly guide you, if needed. With best wishes, amsharma.

dattag
Posts: 4
Joined: 30 Jul 2007, 13:32

Post by dattag »

Dear Sharma Garu,

I am extremely thankful for your kind guidence and offer for helping me & other aspirants . I will definetly make use of this.

I attended your lecture in Mallesshwaram, Bangalore. Frankly speaking I was not very confident to meet you. So I left the place after the Lecture. My sincere apologies. Hopefully I will not miss the opportunity next time.

My Residence Address:

Ganesh Datta
#1622, 6th Main, E Block , AECS Layout, Kundalahalli, Bangalore- 560037

(M) 9986017460
E Mail: ganesh.datta@sap.com

We will be delighted to have you at my residence. Please mail me your bangalore visit details to my Emai ID mentioned above.

Pranamams
Ganesh Datta
Last edited by dattag on 26 Oct 2007, 09:47, edited 1 time in total.

ganesh_mourthy
Posts: 1371
Joined: 02 Sep 2007, 23:08

Post by ganesh_mourthy »

Dear Sharmaji, namaskarams,

we had exchanged words before in this forum. I heartfully appreciate the service you do to the carnatic world. I learn music for few years now and of course I found your tips and clippings really beneficial . The single finger practice of kalyani practice is good . though i have practiced it i never tried beyond upper ga in the second string. I am practicing it in your way and it definitely disciplines my finger. I have been closely watching all the varnams . it really helps to in incorporating various styles of play. Please dont cme to the conclusion that no one benefits from your work. apparently your string is the most visited in this forum.I have in fact downloaded all the video clippings using a software and my friends learning violin regularly practice as per your instructions. I had even asked once if you could give more details of your style of brigha and gamaka playing. but i did not want to further pressurize you considering your age. Dear sharmaji, your hardwork and unselfishness will definitely have its fruits. i always look at your string when i open up if there is anything new/.i am typing this in spite of my busy schedule in my office. i ll come back to you later.

msakella
Posts: 2127
Joined: 30 Sep 2006, 21:16

Post by msakella »

Dear brother-member, dattag, I shall definitely inform you about my next trip to Bangalore and make it a point to visit your residence. If possible try to send a video clipping of your practice session of all the exercises.With best wishes, amsharma.

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