Programmable music key boards?

[ganesh_mourthy]

I would just like to know if any of you know of programmable keyboards. let me outline the purpose of it at the outset.

This is just to help children learn at home all the basic varisais in the absence of teachers.

say for instance, if a kid sings in 5 kattai he may lack appropriate sing along guidance in the initial stages. his teacher could be singing in 1 or 2 kattai.

I reckon that a more synchronized practise can make one shruthi alignment better and the learning stress free .

there are plenty of key board softwares available to assign tones to each keys so that we can make any raaga to come in order of arohanam and avarohanam neatly in order in the computer key board. I just tried shankarabharanam and maya malavagowlai and both could be done in the order of QWERTYUI or whatever in the keyboard to make playing easier and save the key map with the name so that could be easy next time. the pitches could be changed too. I recorded them in a slowspeed. but when i wanted to double the speed or triple the speed for varisai practice to sing along there was a problem.

i used the AUDACITY to increase the tempo. It is really good but the problem is the time interval between each note that seemed perfect at slow speed did not come out well when the tempo was increased.

could anyone help with this. this I reckon could be a wonderful methodology for kids to learn the varisais in the absence of teachers.

I remember using a software years back that can be programmed to play the assigned keys in order automatically at no of notes per second.

I dont recall tht now. my google search is in vain too.

expecting technical inputs from rasikas.

[Radhika-Rajnarayan]

The Radel Swaravali Dx is an instrument that plays all the varisais (sarali onwards right up to alankaram), at any pitch, any speed and also gives you the option of playing any of the following:
a) a single selected varisai at one speed
b) a single varisai at 3 speeds (perfect 1-kaalam,2-kaalam and 3-kaalam) from the selected tempo
c) the whole group (e.g. Jantai varisai) at one speed
d) the whole group at 3 speeds

In addition you can edit the default raga (Mayamalavagowla) to any of the 72 melakartas, and also create and store your own pattern( you can use this to play varisais in janya ragas like mohanam)

A detailed demo can be seen on these links:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxelxcBNRhI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJfoAOsfFEI

This is an ideal training tool for students, even when they are learning from a teacher, to practise and improve .

[ganesh_mourthy]

that is excellent. if it is possible to play varisais of any raaga and at any speed , any pitch it is indeed great. I am searching, if I could get it online.

And the varisais i reckon it includes the melsthaayi as well.

[ganesh_mourthy]

bsides could someone recommend the best computer music key board with quite many functions?

[Radhika-Rajnarayan]

to get the Swaravali Dx online you need to go to the Radel website, click on the product from the catalogue, and order it there

[vasanthakokilam]

Radhika: Swaravali Dx seems like a very useful product. Thanks for the links

[ganesh_mourthy]

yes, Infact I was trying to simulate its functions through all the musical softwares available on the net before knowing about swarawali. This method it greatly imparts the swar control to the learner. I however would like to go to musical shops to buy it right away after little demo.

[Radhika-Rajnarayan]

Are you located in India?
If so, please mail Radel on [email protected] and ask for a demo. They will send someone to your place.

[ganesh_mourthy]

thanks radhka. I can make a visit to chennai music stores for a demo when I find time.

[mohan]

ganesh this is not what you are looking for but here is a handy basic musical keyboard utility http://sourceforge.net/projects/minipiano25/

Also, There is an online keyboard at http://www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/resourc ... /index.htm