Specific sAdhkam techniques required

[bhaktha]

I would like to know if any specific sAdhkam techniques are to be followed for the following:
1. for attaining perfection in sruti while singing rAgam or while staying on one note for long. In short, to align oneself perfectly to sruti.
2. for maintaing uniform kAlapramAnam throughout the kriti.
3. for improving one's manodharma
-bhaktha

[msakella]

Dear brother-member, bhaktha, At the first instance, all the practice-techniques differ from one aspirant to the other basing upon his/her instinctive level of Laya, Shruti-merging-talent, physical capacity, mental capacity, grasping capacity, retaining capacity, patience, perseverance etc., etc. and the vigilant-teacher should teach, guide and initiate the aspirant in a proper manner. In my regular and institutionalized teaching experience spread over four decades I have found that there are no fixed methods which could be applied to each and every aspirant in the same manner. While coming across a number of aspirants and experimenting different teaching methods upon them, till date, to my surprise, I have always been finding different kinds of new techniques in making the process of teaching much easier and, at the same time, quicker also to the aspirant. But, we have to consider only the effective final results of them, while finalizing the best ones among them. While furnishing some of them, at the least, I must know the different levels of yours as mentioned above. However, I shall try to furnish some of them.
1. Perfect Shruti-alignment is possible in respect of only very few who are fully blessed with. There are 3 types of Shruti-alignment, (i) singing the concert along with Shruti i.e., keeping the Tambura by the side but not merging in it (ii) singing the concert merging well in Shruti and (iii) Shruti-sadhana in which, among the 12 notes, the 1st preferential-notes, the Shadja, Antara-gandhara, Panchama and Madhyama, in the absence of either Antara-gandhara or Panchama or both, 2nd preferential notes Chatusshruti-rishabha which merges in Panchama, Chatusshruti-dhaivata and Sadharana-gandhara which merge in Madhya-shadja and 3rd preferential note Shuddha-dhaivata which merges in Shuddha-dhaivata, the combinative-notes Shadja-shuddha-madhyama-chatusshruti-dhaivata (for Shriranjani, Rageshwari, Bageshree etc.), Shadja-antara-gandhara-panchama (for Mohana, Kalyani, Shankarabharana, Kalavathy etc.), Shadja-antara-gandhara-chatusshruti-dhaivata (for Hamsanandi etc.), Madhya-shadja-sadharana-gandhara-shuddha-dhaivata or Madhya-shadja-shuddha-madhyama (for Hindola etc.), are to be sung for a long duration i.e., 1 minute or 1½ minutes or 2 minutes or even more at the time of Shruti-sadhana. This Sadhana must be done along with an Electronic-automatic-shruti-instrument which produces all these notes.
2. Maintaining uniform Kala-pramana through out the Kriti is possible only to
the persons who regularly practice along with Metronome, the Tala-machine,
for years together. However, your can try by regularly practicing all the
different Laya-exercises furnished in my CD which is available from
http://www.sangeethapriya.org/~chandra/
3. Improving Manodharma, which runs to a number of pages to define, is possible
only to explain in person. However, you can refer my book, Sangita Svararaga
Sudha, which is available from [email protected] amsharma.

[bhaktha]

My namaskarams sarmaji,
Thanks for that detailed reply. I am not sure though I really understand your technique 1 (iii). SHould one just sing the notes you have mentioned (in the same order) for a long time? I would be honoured if you could clarify
-bhaktha

[msakella]

Dear brother-member, bhaktha, Pranams. You are not a dull head at all and, in turn, I shall successfully become a dull head if I, as a teacher, am unable to make you understand these things in a proper manner. However, I shall try to elaborate.
In general, many of Karanataka musicians were singing only along with Shruti but not in Shruti at all. Even though many cry aloud that the standards are declining, to tell the fact, it is not at all correct as, nowadays, many of our musicians of this generation, having become aware of the Shruti-sowkhyam like in our Hindusthani counter parts, are singing ‘IN SHRUTI’ and also with knowledgeable high standards. Unless our musicians give the 1st preference to Shruti-sowkhyam and try to embellish our music on these lines our music will not survive at all. At first, having become an ardent follower of Shri M.S.Gopalakrishnan and later having become the disciple of Shri Nedunuri Krishna Murthy, I have become an admixture of both Shruti and Sampradaya and to embellish our music I have designed an Electronic-automatic-tambura in which Tamburas of 3 octaves are provided with an option of tuning each one of them independently either with Panchama or Shuddha-madhya or with neither of them and also along with reeds of 4 octaves of Shadjas and Panchamas and 2 octaves of Sadharana-gandharas, Antara-gandharas, Suddha-madhyamas, Shuddha-dhaivatas and Chatusshruti-dhaivatas with a choice to have any of them according to the Raga we sing. Unlike many of the presently available Electronic-automatic-tamburas, this instrument will not have any kind of wobbling sound at all which many of our musicians are unable to find. If the ‘SHRUTI-SADHANA’ which I have defined in the 1st item, is properly made one will definitely get the real Shruti-sensitivity either to enjoy the Shruti-sowkhyam himself or to make the listeners also enjoy it.
Even though only a demonstration of such things makes it clearer I shall possibly try to define it (however, my ID of yahoo messenger is ‘msakella2002’ and if you want we shall fix some time and I shall demonstrate it for you). As a simple logic in which way we try to make friendship of the un-known through known friends we should, at the first instance, get good acquaintance with the 1st preference notes like Shadjas along with different combinations of Antara-gandhara, Panchama and Shuddha-madhyama and later proceed to the 2nd and 3rd preference notes singing each note along with them in long durations. In fact, every time the operation of this instrument differs either in respect of the notes or in respect of the volume which could only be demonstrated but not elaborated in words. Still , if you have any doubts, better to clear them off through yahoo messenger by listening each other or even by seeing and also listening each other by webcam.amsharma.

[bhaktha]

namskArams sarmaji,
Your second post makes it clear and I read the 1st one in light of this. Now I understand. Thank you so much. Will definitely get back if I have any more doubts.
Seeking your blessings.
-bhaktha