Transcript: Music of North India

>> Neeraj Prem Masih: So my name is Neeraj Prem and I’m a sitar player, Indian classical musician from New Delhi, India. Now, I live in Canada. Sitar or music has been in my family for last four generations. My father, grandfather, great grandfather, all musicians. Now, my son is learning little by little. So, I started learning I don’t even know when. But I gave my first public performance along with my brother when I was about seven or eight years old. And since then, I’ve been learning, playing, practising and performing, and also teaching. So I have taught in India, in high schools for about almost 20 years, and then I moved to Canada. And then I had my own school here in Kensington Market called Raga Middle School, which I ran for a few years. And now because I perform more than I teach, so I teach privately mostly. And my son has been learning tabla for a few years, but he is not a dedicated student, which I want him to be but he is not because he doesn’t practice as much. So — But I hope he will pick it up and he will grow with it as time goes by and we will all have great fun with music and next generation as well. So this is about me, Neeraj Prem and Sajan Prem.

>> Ryan Bruce: OK. Thanks, Neeraj. Can you say something about the instrument that you’re playing?

>> Neeraj Prem Masih: Well, this is called sitar. And this comes into different shapes and sizes. So this is [inaudible]. This is the sound box or we call it tabli. And then on top of it, here, I’ll come closer to the camera. And on top of it is a bridge on which all the strings sit. So that is the bridge. That is a bridge. And there’s — Another bridge under it, if you’ll see, is a black one. And that is for the sympathetic strings. So as you see, the pegs here, so these small pegs and then the big pegs. So big pegs, the strings are sitting on the wide bridge and the smaller pegs, which are these ones, is the sympathetic strings at the bottom here. Now, this sound box is attached to a gourd. It is a function. It’s called gourd. So if you — it’s all hollow, if we hit it, it’s all hollow. And then at the back, it is all red cedar that is being used in the front is red cedar and there’s some decoration and stuff like that, and there’s another bridge up here where the strings are sitting right on top here. So, now sitar — Now there’s another kind of sitar, here’s another one. This doesn’t have a gourd, this is flat like a guitar. Now, this we call a studio sitar or a travelling sitar, see it has a guitar pegs for tuning instead of the big pegs. But this sympathetic strings, the pegs are still the same. And exactly the same, everything is good, it’s just that it doesn’t have a gourd but has a flat back. See how flat it is. And it has a pickup. So if I need to —

>> Ryan Bruce: And when do you use that one [inaudible]?

>> Neeraj Prem Masih: Usually when I’m travelling, then I just — this is easier to carry. It has the same sound, same —

[ Music ]

Exactly same sound, same everything. The frets are exactly the same. Fret from sitar are little curved as you can see, and that is because we pull the strings. So when we pull it, the curve helps us so we can pull few notes.

[ Music ]

So we can pull up to five notes.

>> Ryan Bruce: I wanted to ask, as we were on this, about the frets. Are those fixed on the instrument or can they move?

>> Neeraj Prem Masih: They are movable frets. But there are three kinds of families or schools which play different — three kind of sitars. One is movable frets, which is the one I played. So, for instance, I want — if I did major scale right now [music]. If I want to make it minor, I’ll have to move the fret. So I’ll just move it and hold the sitar and move the fret. And I move this and I move this. And now, I’ve made my sitar a minor scale now.

[ Music ]

So these are movable. Then there’s another style, which is not movable there. Yeah. So these are 19 frets, the non-movable, it has 21 frets. And then there’s another school which uses only 17 frets. So they don’t have this fret here and this fret here. So the three different kinds of sitars or schools of sitars that we can.

>> Ryan Bruce: I wanted to say that we — I think we’ll revisit this idea of scales because the raga is much as a degree of difference and not just major minor. But the frets that are there, what’s the range of — from the bottom to the top, is it about an octave for one string?

>> Neeraj Prem Masih: Yes, it’s three octaves or so.

[ Music ]

So these are the main octaves. And then we can go higher octave from it. And then another octave. So three octave, but for the third, the lower octave, we have to go on to the second string. And for higher octave, we have to pull.

>> Ryan Bruce: You also mentioned that there’s different kinds of strings and what — there’s sympathetic strings. And then you said that there’s these other strings. Could you tell us the difference between them?

>> Neeraj Prem Masih: Yeah. So in sitar, unlike guitar, in guitar, we use all four fingers, right? We make a chord with four fingers, three fingers. In sitar, we mostly use the two fingers only, the — these two fingers. First and the middle finger, index and the middle finger. So our index finger is the main worker here. And we work only on the very first string that is called barge. So this is our first string like they’re from here, the main string. All these strings are steel from Germany, but the only second string is a copper, this one. And this is our main mother tuning string, the copper string. Rest of all the strings are steel strings. Now the strings, how we play it is we play only mostly on the very first string, so.

[ Music ]

Only when I have to really go into a lower octave that I want my second string. And then back on to the first string. So, basically, we play like 99% of our performance on the very first string. Now then there is — Now there are two kinds of sitar again, one that uses six strings. This is a six-string sitar. So, one, two, three, four, five and six. So six string. This string — This peg here doesn’t have a string, it’s empty in my style. And this style called — is called Ustad Vilayat Khan style because he is the person who created this style. This also called Etawah gharana or Imdadkhani Baaj. So that few different names of this school. So Etawah gharana is — meaning gharana means school. So gharana or Imdadkhani Baaj because Imdad Khan was a great grandfather of Ustad Vilayat Khan or grandfather of Ustad Vilayat Khan. And Ustad Vilayat Khan is one of the or was one of the leading or the pioneer of this style. He created this style. So he removed one string, usually sitars — normal sitars have seven strings on top. So, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven. So seven pegs here, but Vilayat Khan took off this string, which was a brass string. And I’ll tell you why later on. So this is — this sitar is 16 sitar, the other normal sitars like Ravi Shankar Ji sitar is seven-string sitar, which all these specs have this. Apart from that, then we have sympathetic strings right here. Now, sympathetic strings can also vary from 11 strings to 13 strings, depending on what school and what style you’re playing. My sitar has 12 sympathetic strings but will Vilayat Khan style can have 12 or 11 sympathetic strings. Ravi Shankar Ji’s family or Maihar gharana, a major school of sitar. They can have — They usually have 13 strings for sympathetic strings. So playing — Again, we are playing mainly on the very first string and then rest of the strings are the supportive strings. So we keep strumming them to fill up the sound. So, for instances.

[ Music ]

So I’m just strumming this thing, that’s not the string, just to get that support.

[ Music ]

But all the work that I’m doing is on the very first string only.

[ Music ]

So I’m just strumming them every now and then just to keep that whole cycle [inaudible]. Sympathetic strings are used only based on the raag that we’re playing so that they can resonate from behind. For instance.

[ Music ]

This note that went so long is because of sympathetic string.

[ Music ]

And we only use a seldom once in a while.

[ Music ]

Using the very beginning of the performance or at the end. In between, we only very rarely.

[ Music ]

Or maybe we use this from here.

[ Music ]

For instance, there’s a composition here. I’ll just play the first line of it, OK. This composition can be played like.

[ Music ]

Now, this I can also play like this soft.

[ Music ]

So instead of using the note right here, I’m using this here. So that’s the very rarely use of sympathetic strings in a performance. Usually, it is used in the very beginning when we start the raag, so we’d just go and then we start off.

>> Ryan Bruce: Great. So there — So a lot of times, they’re — I think you were pointing to the resonate behind or they resonate with this — the notes that you play, right? So when you play a note on the playing string, the sympathetic strings that are in tune with that string or its overtones are starting to resonate with it, right?

>> Neeraj Prem Masih: That is right.

>> Howard Spring: What about your right hand? Are you using a plectrum or just your nail or how’s that?

>> Neeraj Prem Masih: Yeah, very good question. Thank you you asked me. So this is — I don’t know how far can I go. Yeah. So Sajan will show you. [Inaudible] Yeah, you move it, move it. And then there’s another one I have. So I have different — They’re the same thing. So this is called mizrab. You will call it pick, just like guitars have pick. We have — But what we do is we don’t hold it, we wear it. So it goes on top of my finger, so I just put it on my finger and now it becomes part of my finger. Can you see it? So I’m not holding it with two fingers, I’m wearing it and some sitars just with two of these in the middle finger and the index finger. But usually, 99% of sitars wear only one pick. And that is on the index finger. And that is how we strum it. See the difference in tone, I’m playing with the pick. Now, I play without the pick. I mean, I can play with my bare finger also but it’ll be very hard and I’ll get blisters and my nail will get ruined, and the tone will not be as good. And this is made, again, on steel or a metal. But steel mostly. Some people use copper also and brass strings as well. But steel is the most common.

>> Howard Spring: So when you perform, you always have that pick?

>> Neeraj Prem Masih: Always, we have to wear it. Otherwise, we can’t play for an hour long, maybe five, 10 minutes, we can play without a pick. But anything longer than that have to have pick. But everyone wears a pick, not just because they get hurt but because of the tonal quality that you get.

[ Music ]

That robust sound is coming from the pick. If I play the same thing without the pick.

[ Music ]

And now, with the pick.

[ Music ]

So that’s the difference. And for our left hand, we use only these two fingers.

>> Ryan Bruce: Thanks for answering our questions. Really does demonstrate the instrument well. You were talking about the history of the sitar. I was wondering if you could return to that and tell us more about it.

>> Neeraj Prem Masih: OK. So, there are two thoughts or two ideas about the history of sitar, basically. And then I will include a little bit of North Indian classical and Carnatic classical as well but — and very brief. But, majorly for sitar. So, one group thinks or have this idea and it all recorded that sitar evolved over a period of time. It came from an instrument called veena. And from veena, it came to setar and from sitar, it became sitar. So, veena is a very old and ancient Indian instrument that is also, yeah, we get to see it in the Indian mythology or Indian religion where Goddess Saraswati is holding a veena and playing. So that is — Goddess Saraswati is God of knowledge. Like Goddess Lakshmi is God of wealth for Hindus, Saraswati is for knowledge, of education, of art and culture. Now, that is one thought that it came — evolved from veena to sitar and then sitar. So it took many centuries before it became sitar. The other school thinks that with the arrival of Moguls, there was a Sufi musician, his name was Amir Khusro, that he created this instrument and it is not that old. So these are two different angles that we can look at. What I have learnt is that sitar evolved over a period of time from veena and then other instruments and, of course, the influence of Moguls or the Islamic influence that we had on — and that country including the music that has a big role to play in the formation of the sitar. Because veena is totally different, the fret patterns are different, it’s flat, and you have to fold it like this straight and then bring the whole hand forward and then you play it with not only one finger or two fingers but you use all of your fingers. And over here also, you wear the same pick in veena, you wear in all four fingers and then — or three fingers and then you play with all three fingers for different strings. So from that, veena came sitar. Now, sitar is an instrument which came from Iran or Persia, and that was — that could be three-string instrument or 100-string instrument, because there was another instrument called Shatha tantri veena. Shatha tantri veena is like 100-string veena. Now, from all those — when people, you know, they kept experimenting, just Vilayat Khan have experimented in recent in our times, for that he made sitar from seven string to six string. So that is the innovation during our times that happened to sitar. Before that, what has happened, we don’t know in details, but the idea that we get from different books and, like, Visi Viwa [assumed spelling] is one of the authors of — one of the most renowned books, vision on Indian instruments, and he talks about the evolution which came into the instruments, including the tabla. The tabla has the same theory. Tabla, some people say that it evolved from a period of time and other people say Amir Khusro, again, the Sufi saint, he brought the Pakala into two and made tabla. So, it has also two different ideas of how tabla came into being and also sitar. So, sitar has an old ancient history, but when we — we say OK, we know when sitar was, I think it would be in the 18th century that we know that sitar was there. Before that, it would be called other — like because the ancestor of sitar, immediate ancestral of sitar is surbahar, which is a bass sitar, which has all the seven strings. And it is mostly — what is done on surbahar is the alap on the slower, which we’ll come to later on, as Ryan will ask me those questions later, I know. So, surbahar is a recent, very recent ancestor of sitar, which is still being played. But very, very rarely, we get to see concerts of surbahar. So this is a brief history of sitar. So what we’ll do here is we will do a little interactive session and I’m going to put Sajan on the spot here, because he accompanies, the tabla companies today. So Sajan, I’m going to ask you the very first thing is how many schools of tabla are there?

>> Sajan: There’s six.

>> Neeraj Prem Masih: OK. Can you name me six?

>> Sajan: There’s the Delhi.

>> Neeraj Prem Masih: OK.

>> Sajan: Punjab.

>> Neeraj Prem Masih: OK.

>> Sajan: Hapnao.

>> Neeraj Prem Masih: OK. Hazara.

>> Sajan: Banadis and —

>> Neeraj Prem Masih: Hazara.

>> Sajan: Yeah.

>> Neeraj Prem Masih: Hazara and [inaudible].

>> Sajan: That’s — OK.

>> Neeraj Prem Masih: OK. So there’s six schools of tabla. And although the rhythm, cycles, patterns, everything is same, but still they all have their own peculiar and different style. So, for instance, I’ll give you one — 16 beats rhythm cycle, [inaudible] commonly know it. Now, 16 beats rhythm cycle goes like da, din, din, da, da, din, din, da, da, tin, tin, ta, ta, din, din, da, da. So now the words here are with ta, din, din, da, da, din, din, da, da, tin, tin, ta, ta, din, din, da. Sixteen. But some school will recite it like da, din, din, da, da, din, din, da, na, tin, tin, na, na, tin, tin, na, da. So there’s just little bit — little differences here and they’re of the notes. For instance, plate. So first, we’ll play the basic style, the [inaudible], and then na, tin, tin, da, na. OK. OK, so very slow. So, now I’ll count it here and Sajan will pay the tabla here. Da, din, din, da, da, din, din, da, da, tin, tin, ta, ta, din, din, da, da. Now the same tile will — I’ll recite differently and he’ll also play the wells now, OK. Go. Da, din, din, da, da, din, din, da, na, tin, tin, na, ta, din, din, da, da. So this is a very minute difference, but these are the minute differences that distinguish each gharana from each other. And as I said, we just said that the six different styles of tabla. Six different gharanas or tabla, and they all play differently, but they all play the same music. Rhythm cycles are the same, but their own improvisations will be different. Now, the history of tabla is also same as we were discussing. This one school things, Amir Khusro, the Sufi saint, he created tabla by breaking pakali into two and other things that evolved just like other instruments evolved. Now, I’ll just show you what tabla is. I’ll just come closer. So, this is called CI and this is altogether called puri, the whole head is called puri. Now, this puri has four different parts to it, this the outer part here. Here, this outer part here is called gajra. Then this is called chati. And then this part is the main playing part and this is called CI. It is tied up with these strings, which we call badhti, and do the tuning pegs. And at the bottom of the tabla, again, here, here, this is another gajra. The badhti or the strings are tied to this badhti here or this one has a steel one. Sajan, show me the other one, that one. So, this is the latest thing that people are doing, makers are doing, they’re putting up steel rims here. Otherwise, traditionally, it used to be also of leather straps. So, [inaudible] part away. So now, for tuning, we can tune from the gajra from here by hitting a hammer, show me the hammer. So this is the hammer and we tune it by hitting it here or the specs down or up depending on what key we are tuning it to. Now, similarly, for baya, exactly the same thing, the head is the same. It’s just bigger, it’s a bass drum. So gajra, chati, main playing area, and then the syahi. Same thing here, same badhti, the strings and another gajra here, which is holding the strings together. And by pulling these pegs down or up, this pegs down or up, we create the sound how we want it. But this is baya, the bass drum. And this is called daya or chekto. Just like this is also called dugi, daga, dugi, baya, these are all different names for this bass drum. For this one, it is also called chekto, it is also called tabla by itself and it is also called dai. And together, they make tabla. So, now, that is one rhythm cycle, 16 beats we just did.

>> Ryan Bruce: How do you decide which pitches to tune the drums to?

>> Neeraj Prem Masih: OK, good question. Whichever key I’m tuned to, tabla has to tune to that key. That is why there are different tabla or different scale, different keys. So this is a D tabla, I’m tuned to D. So, OK. Again. So these two have to match, they have to be together. If I’m playing an E sitar, then the tabla has to be E. Now, baya is just going to be the lower octave of this tabla or my key. Or it has to be somewhere around, maybe the third note or the fifth note depending on what kind of baya it is. But this tabla has to be same tuning as the main instrument or the vocalist or whatever the other instrument is. So — And as I said, tuning is all from the gajra or the pegs. And for us, tuning is from here and we all have to be on the same page. That’s why we have to — And hammer is a tool to tune it with. We can’t tune it with hands because it is very hard. This is very hard leather. It’s all good skin. These are all good skin. These are all good skin. And it’s very hard leather. So, now, we did one rhythm cycle. I just do another one and that is six beats rhythm cycle. And that is — Like in Indian or North Indian classical music, South Indian is very strong with rhythm. They’re rhythm-based music form of India. And in North India, we have many rhythm cycles, but the most prominent ones are tintal, which is 16 beats rhythm cycle, jhaptal which is 10 beats rhythm cycle, rupatal that is seven beats rhythm cycle, edtal which is 12 beats rhythm cycle, dada of just six beats rhythm cycle. So these are the basic rhythm cycles that we work with. And today, when we will go forward with raga and stuff, we will — I will give you an example of all these different ones. Now, raga or raag, we call it raag but raga is just an English way of saying it. In English language, this is something very funny that English language has done to Hindi or Indian language is that they have added a to every word at the end, like it is ram, but they call it rama. It’s Krishn, they call it Krishna. Similarly with esraag, but everyone calls it raga. But there are two forms of raags. One is raag and one is ragini. Now raag is a major big thing, which unfolds in a — takes a long time to unfold. Ragini is a smaller piece or a shorter piece or much more sweeter piece. So ragini is basically the feminine version of raags. So if raag is male, ragini is female. So that is how we will distinguish the two. And then there’s — So in — not in the classical music, there is raag and then there’s tumili. There’s dadra, this top bar, this Kajri. Now, raag is the main meal in a course of food. And then there are few little things as snacks is tombri, which is a lighter part of the same music. Kajri, it’s lighter part, chati, lighter part, tappa, dadra, all these are lighter. So these are called semi classical, semi North Indian classical music, but raag is the main course and raag is main course because it has three different parts to it. The first — very first part is called alap jor jhala or alap. Now, alap is the free flow. There’s no rhythm, it is not rhythm guided. But we still have to keep a rhythm behind and — in our head. So rhythm is there, but it’s hidden, it’s invisible rhythm, but it is still called rhythm free because we are not — restricted ourselves to any time cycle. But we are still restricting ourselves or following a beat. So we’re still going on a beat, but we’re not following any rhythm, pattern, rhythm cycle as such. Now, jor, so this is alap. Jor is when — We are still playing alap but now we have introduced rhythm to it. Now, there is a physical rhythm which is you can see that, OK, there’s a rhythm added to it. And jhala is a last part that concludes the whole alap jor jhala or the alap section of instrumental music of North India. So I’ll give you a very brief example of what alap, is then what jor is, and then jhala and how it is all connected. So I’ll start with alap.

[ Music ]

Now, this is alap, which is free flow. And how am I controlling it? How am I making free flow is with the support of strings, when I strum those strings and when I play an actual note. So what’s the gap here?

[ Music ]

Now, after alap is jor. As I said, the whole thing is alap jor jhala, the second part is jor. Now in jor is where we — we are still playing alap but we now introduce a proper rhythm, meaning the beat. Watch.

[ Music ]

So how is this different because I’m giving an actual rhythm with my support string? So I’m keeping my little [inaudible] here.

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And then the jor here is becoming faster and faster so that I can get onto jhala, which is the last part.

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And then I’m just cutting it short but then we get to the jhala part.

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So this is the very first part of raag. For instrumental music, we will play the full alap jor jhala. This can — Alap jor jhala itself can be 30-minute long. And then comes the slow composition or the medium tempo, and then comes the drut or the faster composition. So slow is called vilambit. Slow tempo is called vilambit. Fast tempo is called drut and the medium tempo is called madti. So vilambitle, meaning the rhythm. And the madtile, medium rhythm and drutle, faster. So, these — So alap jor jhala, which starts very slow and it builds up and builds up and builds up, and then it comes to a jor and then jhala, and then it ends with a crescendo. And then we start with vilambit or madtile. And that is — These compositions all preset. The composition itself will be preset in any round. All we do, the new things is improvisation when we have already established a composition. For example, I’ll play a composition. Let’s play [inaudible]. Let’s play. I’ll play a drut, fast composition for you.

[ Music ]

So now this is a fixed part. This is a composition, which has been composed by Ustad and Datkasa [assumed spelling], Ustad and Datkasa. Very famous composition in our style of music. Now in this composition, when I established it, then I will start doing all kind of improvisations. Whatever mindset I’m in right now, whatever mood I’m in right now, all those thoughts will keep coming to me and I will keep portraying it through my instrument, through my music right now. Again.

[ Music ]

All [inaudible] that I’m doing, it is not fixed. I’m just coming it up right now. It’s all coming to me and I’m just saying my mind is guiding my hands to do this and this and then they’ll come. So — And I’ll come on [inaudible].

[ Music ]

And then so it was — progresses. So — And [inaudible] vilambit.

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So now, this is also a phrases composition, it’s a composition. And then when I start — when I establish this composition, then I get into the improvising. Now, how do we improvise? These are structure for improvisation, we start with short alaps. We short — We start with few — the most powerful notes of that raag. And then we elaborate on those — only those notes and then we start involving the other notes, which are in the raag. Now, what is raag? OK. Raag is a scale, but it is scale which is a pattern, which has a set. It has a — Hard to explain it. It has a set movement and that movement creates that raag. For instance, a raag can have — two raag can have the same notes. [Inaudible] this.

[ Music ]

Now, this is a Lydian scale. And this scale, if I include both the G’s in it, so.

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So this becomes raag yaman kalyan, so.

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So this, I’m using [inaudible]. It’s a Lydian scale but I’m using [inaudible]. Now, same scale will have totally different raag.

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So that was yaman kalyan, this is bihag. The only difference is how we are treating these notes. Which note am I playing more in one raag and which note I’m playing more in the other raag? How I’m — How am I treating both the G’s in one raag and how am I treating the — both the G’s and on the raag? So, for instance, in raag yaman kalyan, I’m using the G note very less minimum but G sharp, the maximum. So here’s the example.

[ Music ]

So I just — That’s G. OK.

[ Music ]

But I’m using G sharp with prominently.

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So this is same notes, same everything but I’m using G very slightly, just a touch of it and using G sharp very majorly. In the other raag bihag, here’s the example. I’m actually just hitting on G here.

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Now I introduced my G sharp but very quickly. I get away from G sharp [music]. Although I can use G sharp and G equally, but to create the right effect of raag bihag, I have to be very careful how I use G sharp in this one.

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Here’s the composition in raag yaman kalyan and then I’ll play a composition in raag bihag, so you’ll see the difference what we’ve done.

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This is raag yaman. Now, bihag.

[ Music ]

So, this is just a basic difference between this case and how a raag is played and how raag is treated.

>> Howard Spring: Are there any other ways that you can tell the difference between two different raags? Is it just a matter of what notes are — get emphasis? Are there other things that define a raag?

>> Neeraj Prem Masih: Yeah, basically, if there are — there are a few raags which have same notes, like — but the only way to distinguish them is how we treat those notes, that is the only way. So there’s no other way to find out. So suppose, for instance, I’m playing — someone who’s playing this raag, right? Another raag, which has both the G’s in it and the same scale, major scale and so that is [inaudible], so.

[ Music ]

So now — And this one again. So — And sending, I’m skipping away the second note.

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So this is the main phrase. Every raag has their main phrase, a catchphrase. So this raag has [music]. The — For this raag nand. This is called raag nand. As soon as someone who’s performing does this much, I will know this is raag nand. All of the notes are same. As soon as someone will do this, I will know this is raag bihag. As soon as someone will do this, I will know this is raag yaman. Same notes. It’s all major scale. And they’re using G in different forms, different way. But they’re using it differently and that — those catchphrases is telling me what raag is this [music]. So there’s one catchphrase for raag nand, and then.

[ Music ]

So two catchphrases here. One, and then.

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So this is raag nand. Bihag, just as much. Anyone done and I know it’s raag bihag.

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And established even more, that is raag bihag now. Because I’m skipping re again here. And I’m skipping the ha, this second note, and the fifth note, I’m skipping it. Not that I need to delete it from my performance. No, the notes are there, but you have to use a minimum, so.

[ Music ]

So just a patch.

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And then I jumped this note [music]. And that came back with a pattern.

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So it’s all about the catchphrases and how we treat the notes that will establish what raag it is.

>> Howard Spring: I see. OK. That’s great. What about ornaments? I mean, I think it’s in Carnatic music, they’re called gamaka, not sure what they call it in [inaudible]. But are there specific kinds of ornaments that you use?

>> Neeraj Prem Masih: Yes, now ornaments and gamaks are two different things. Gamak is a prominent part of North Indian classical music and they’re used in alap jor jhala and also in the gadkari or the compositions. [Inaudible] when I’m doing alap jor jhala. So I’m at the jor now, right? We just discussed alap jor jhala, so I’m at jor, the second, where the alap is with the rhythm, so.

[ Music ]

So this is gamak, which I can include in my alap jor jhala or in the composition, for instance.

[ Music ]

Then composition, now I’ll play some gamak in it.

[ Music ]

So, this is the role of gamak. Now, ornamentation is khan morke kadka. These are the words for it. And these are the things that we include in our recital to ornament the whole recital. For instance, in alap, for example. Simple alap is just.

[ Music ]

So this is simple alap, I’m pulling notes and I’m just creating the raag. I’m just following the raag in the way it is supposed to.

[ Music ]

Now, again, over here, I like to tell you something. There are two different styles of music in North India itself. One is Khayal laiki, which is playing — which I’m doing right now. And there’s another one which is called Dhrupad. Now Dhrupad is the older form of India — North Indian classical music. And Khayal laiki came with the portions and they brought it in. Now, Khayal Laiki has most of the ornamentation done. Dhrupad has very minimum. Dhrupad’s goal is very simple, straightforward like this.

[ Music ]

And it — The pulls will be very slow and long.

[ Music ]

Now, let’s get to the ornamentation of this. Now, same thing, when you put ornamentation on Dhrupad, it becomes Khayal basically. And, for instance, in Khayal itself, when we put these things, then it becomes ornamentation. See this one I just did.

[ Music ]

So that [inaudible]. That is ornamentation. I can do it simple. There’s a simple way of doing it. Now, if I want to ornament it.

[ Music ]

So this is ornamentation. And this is [inaudible].

[ Music ]

I can do it simple. Or I can put some ornaments on it, decorate it.

[ Music ]

Simple.

[ Music ]

So khan morke kadka, the three elements, the main elements, then also jamjama and gamak as we mentioned. Gamak is but — Gamak is more prominent. Gamak [inaudible].

[ Music ]

This is gamak [inaudible]. And we can create phrases and some sentences out of gamak. But gamak is used as a permanent part of the recital. When we play tans, this is tan [music]. So there are four different kinds of main tans. One is sapart, one is chut kitan. One is jamjama kitan. And then there’s one, gamak kitan, gamak. So, gamak is a very prominent part of vocal and instrumental, both resettles. But ornamentation is kind of morke kadka jamjama. These are few things which majorly on the — we use these elements, these tunes to ornament any piece or any phrase that we want to.

[ Music ]

>> Ryan Bruce: I’m finding that a lot of the ornaments that you’re playing involve pulling the strings. I’m wondering, are all of the ornaments based on pulling the strings? Or are there any ornaments that you play that don’t involve pulling the strings?

>> Neeraj Prem Masih: Excellent. Actually, I was missing something and your question brought me to that. Thank you for that. So now, there’s — another one which is called klinton. Now klinton, you can do on the frets. It is mostly done only on the frets. So for instance, we’re doing this [music]. When I cut the note like this, that is klinton.

[ Music ]

So this is what revisions that you use to use mostly in the cycle of klinton.

[ Music ]

>> Ryan Bruce: Thank you. I have another follow-up question. There was something that you mentioned before, you use the word re and you were pointing to the scale degrees. I wonder if you could tell us about the words or the syllables that you use for defining the notes of the raga or the raag.

>> Neeraj Prem Masih: Right. Right. So re is like investing, we have do, re, mi, fa, so, la, ti, do, right? In Indian, we have, sa, re, ga, ma, pa, da, ni, sa, sa, ni, ma, ga, ma, ga, re, sa. Or, sa, re, ga, ma, pa, ra, mi, sa, fa, mi, na, [inaudible] sa. Same thing, So ray was just another note. So, do, re, again, sa, re. So re is the same, I think. So, do, re, mi, fa, so, la, ti, do. So the same thing. So it’s just name of every note. So, first note is sa, second is re, third, ga, fourth, ma, fifth, pa, sixth, da, and then seventh is ni. So, sa, re, ga, ma, pa, da, ni. And then, sa, sa, sa, same. So you start [inaudible].

>> Ryan Bruce: I think that you’re — before you mentioned that you’re in the key of D. And so sa would be the note D. So if you were going to play something similar to a major scale, but start on the note E, or if your sitar was an E sitar, you would use the same syllables, correct? Just starting on a different note. Yeah.

>> Neeraj Prem Masih: Yeah, it’s sort of the same.

>> Ryan Bruce: And the other thing I wanted to ask, because you were — at one point, you’re talking about using the note G sharp and you’re emphasizing G sharp a lot. That G sharp is related to the key of D, is that correct?

>> Neeraj Prem Masih: Right. So my key is D and in relation to D are all my other notes. So D is like my mother note.

>> Ryan Bruce: Right. And that emphasis that you were putting on that G sharp [inaudible]. Yeah. Your drone note.

>> Neeraj Prem Masih: Yes, my drone note is D.

>> Howard Spring: I just wanted — Neeraj, I just want to talk a little bit about, what happens when you do a concert? What kind of pieces do you do? What order do you do them in?

>> Neeraj Prem Masih: OK. So — And you know what, we were talking about how musical instruments evolved over a period of time, so did the music. In the ancient days in India, they used to be, obviously, no sound system, no equipment. And music concerts were — used to have to take place in a very small intimate setting. That’s why it is also called chamber music. Because the audience is all sitting together with the musician very close, just like me and him sitting very close, this close, so that they can hear the musicians, and there was no amplification. So at that time, the music was performed in smaller pieces, like 20, 30 minutes long each piece. And then the concert would go on for about three to four hours. And, over the period of time, the music has changed a lot because now people don’t have that long attention span. And also, people don’t have that much time. And also, people don’t need to, in many cases, listen to long pieces. So, musicians like Ravi Shankar Ji, Anoushka Shankar, who have lived in West for too long, they have created or altered Indian classical music in a very western fashion, where you can play 10-minute piece or 20-minute piece max or five-minute piece in most cases. But originally, Indian classical music was played. Each raag has — supposedly played for — at least for an hour. So when I go perform for a classical concert, for instance, in Toronto, we have the biggest Indian classical music group, it’s called Raag-Mala Music Society of Toronto. When I play for Raag-Mala, they expect me to play a full rock for one hour. So then I go with my mindset that, OK, I have to play one raag and I have to play it at full length, at least for an hour. So that is one way of preparing myself, OK, I have to play for an hour, one concert for one hour that is one raag, not 10 different pieces in there. And then there are other concerts where they wanted to play smaller pieces, five-minute,10-minute pieces. Recently, we recorded for — Who did we record? Oh, yeah, for Hamilton City, for Hamilton Arts Council. Now, they wanted me to play no longer than 10 minutes each piece. And it was just released recently. I think I sent you a link to that, too, raag. So in that, I had to go with the mindset that, OK, I cannot go over the 10-minute thing. So I have to keep my — I tell myself always, OK, if it is 10-minute limit, then I’ll play only for eight minutes. Because if I am in a different mood and I’m in a zone, then it’s only two minutes and then still I’ll be within the timeframe. Same thing with one raag, one-hour long concerts, I tell myself I’m going to play only for 15 minutes. And then if I’m in a mood to play longer, then I have 10 more minutes to play around with. And that is one full raag. So one full raag as a tool, we were talking about it and it is alap jor jhala. That’s the first, so that is almost 25, 20 minutes, 30 minutes depending on how I feel that day. And then we — I get into my slow composition or medium tempo composition. There’ll be another 15 minutes and then 15 minutes for my drut or fast composition that ends with jhala. So that — the breakup is alap jor jhala, medium tempo composition, fast tempo composition and with jhala, and then it’s done. Now this, I can fabricate this for one hour, for 45 minutes, for half hour, 20 minutes, 15 minutes, minimum, 15 minutes for a raag to be completed. In — You know, a proper picture of the raag, if I want to paint, it has to be at least 15 minutes. But then the compositions that I can play for invest when they ask me like for arts council now or these other organizations when they wanted to play 10 minutes or less, then I alter my — and I choose my composition very wisely then, that I should not choose anything very intricate or very complicated. You should be very simple straightforward to the point so that, you know, a common listener can relate to it and enjoy it. Because all the intricacies and the delicate moods, like you were talking about ornamentation, all that stuff, Howard, that comes in a longer rendition of raag or performance. Shorter ones, I keep it way to the point, just make it as soon as possible and then, you know, move on to the next one. So that is the mindset I go with, that whatever time duration I’ve been given, I have prepared according to it. Listen that a little bit, so that if I’m — if I get carried away, I still have that two-minute grace that I have saved for myself. But full raag will be at least 45 minutes to an hour. And smaller compositions can be as small as five minutes.

>> Howard Spring: Now, when you do a concert, do you choose — and you’re going to do more than one piece, do you do — do you start off with a short piece and then eventually go to longer pieces or — and then do maybe some shorter at the end or is that the way you think about it?

>> Neeraj Prem Masih: Traditionally, longer piece first and then shortly. So, for instance, I play one for raag bihag yaman or this or whatever, right? I played that one full raag for 45 minutes or 30 minutes or whatever. And then I get into a shorter piece, which could be a don, meaning a tune or a folk tune, or tumili or, you know, something like that, or another piece. So that will be the last piece, a shorter piece traditionally. But in today’s day and age, we are also mixed up and messed up in so many different ways that some people want or just, you know, play some fast stuff for us. And, you know, make it short and also [inaudible]. So, it all depends who I’m playing for, where I’m playing. So, like universities, where I did a lot of shows for Vancouver universities, and they wanted a full raag. And at the end, they would want a lighter piece for 15, 20 minutes. And that is a right way of doing it. I mean, right way in the sense because it — traditionally, we have been doing it so I find it right way. But, I don’t think there’s any right or wrong, where some people just enjoy short pieces first and then, OK, now we’ll sit and listen to a raag. That’s totally fine, too. But it’s all — it all depends on who is my audience. It all depends on the audience.

>> Howard Spring: The other thing I wanted to ask you about is how you learn all of this.

>> Neeraj Prem Masih: How I learnt all this? OK. This is — Well, my first teacher — I’ll just take a few minutes here to explain this. My first teacher was my father, whom I learnt from. And then I went — My father passed away very young. So I — there was a big gap in my musical education. Because during the school days, I was in grade four when my father passed away, or five, something like that. And then by grade 11, I had no particular or a specific teacher. I was just playing, because whatever I had learnt from my father previously, I was just repeating that and playing that. So by the time I was in grade 11, I had made up my mind to be a musician. So at that time, I joined a university which is called Gandama New Delhi in New Delhi. And I started learning there. At this time, I was already teaching in other high schools, music. Because of my standard, which was already there, because of what I learnt from my father and how I’ve been performing, how I was performing all those years. And then my teacher at Gandama New Delhi, he taught me all the delicate and intricate things on — in Indian classical music. And after that, I went to Delhi University for a bit, and then I became a student or disciple of Husar Shujaat Khan, who is one of the prominent musicians of this day and age. So, in the whole process, the whole — What is it? The whole — This process of learning and teaching was all oral. I hardly wrote down any notations ever. Very seldom did I wrote down any notations. I would listen to my teacher, he would tell me and I will sit in front of him with my instrument. And I will just repeat it and repeat it until I get it. He will keep correcting me until I get it. He’ll keep correcting me. And once I get it, then he’ll make me sit in one corner. OK, go and I’ll just keep repeating it and practice it before you go home. This has to be in your mind and in — on — in your hands so that when you go home, you don’t make a mistake. So then I would go home and I would practice hours and hours of those things. So that gets drilled in my mind and my hands are used to it now. Doesn’t matter. So for instance, I’ll give you one example. Just a very simple stroke pattern, here. So this right hand, very simple properties one, two, three, one, two, three, one, two. Now that is eight beats, one, two, three, one, two, three, one, two, eight beats. So, it is divided into three, three, and then two. Now, this pattern, my teacher will teach me. OK. One, two, three, one, two, three, one, two. And now you just keep repeating it from every [inaudible].

[ Music ]

Now, when I practice it enough, I can create phrases just by just one stroke of all kinds of phrases. And I can play for 10 minutes just using this phrase — this stroke pattern, creating all kinds of different things. So, for instance.

[ Music ]

As he was saying, talking about gamak, so I can use the same pattern and create another gamak with this pattern. So my teacher will make me practice this so much in front of him. And then he will let me go. And same thing with my present teacher or Ustash Jatt Kasab [assumed spelling], he will teach me something. See, I went — I — whatever, technically, I perfected it. It was from my father and from my teacher, Jagdeep Singh Beti [assumed spelling] at Gandama New Delhi. And I was already at a good standard so that I can go to a renowned musician, like Ustash Jatt Kasab, where I can go and learn from him. Now, there’s a very interesting thing here. Learning from renowned musicians, or a performer, or a great performer who’s always busy, always on the road and touring, it is very difficult for them to sit and teach you for hours, they will never do that. So as a student, it is your responsibility that you should have all the chops in your hands. And all the idea is already here that you can copy and follow that teacher so that you don’t waste his time and you don’t waste your own time. So I was already at a good standard when I went to my teacher, Ustash Jatt Kasab. So he would just play one fret for me, for instance.

[ Music ]

And I just have to follow it, and then remember it, and when I go home and I have to practice it, and make my own phrases out of it, because my teacher says, OK, you can copy me, but then copy me only to practice and learn. And then you create your own phrases, you create your own music based on what you’ve learnt from me. So there’s different angles here now. My father taught me simple compositions that, just don’t think about it. Don’t do anything else. Just repeat this, practice it just the way it is. And then at Gandama New Delhi, my other teacher, Jagdeep Singh Beti, he also taught me, OK, these are the phases I’m teaching you, these are the things and this is the technique, just follow the technique, and don’t do anything else. Don’t think too much. This [inaudible] for the basic and the initial stage. My teachers always told me, don’t think too much. Don’t think for yourself. We are thinking for you, you just follow what we’re telling you and just keep doing what we’re telling. And when you get to a stage where you are good enough to do things on your instrument or musically, then you get to a teacher who is a performer, who’s a great musician. And then he doesn’t have that long — that much of a time for you that he will sit for four hours with you. I mean, they do but they expect you to be off a standard where they teach you something in five minutes, and then you get it in five minutes, and then you’re out of there. And then you just practice that and then you make your own phrases, your own music out of it. Right now, my teacher is in India. So if I have any confusions or any doubts, if I want to learn something new, I just call him. So we don’t even sit with the instruments. I just call him and ask him, OK, how can I do this? How am I supposed to do this? And he just teaches me on the phone like he’ll just tell me, we just talk about music, we don’t do music. And in that talking of music, I understand and learn what I need to from him now. So these are different stages of learning music and how we grow as musicians from student at different levels and different stages in our life. Hope that answers your question.

>> Howard Spring: Yes, very, very interesting. But in all through this is always one to one, right?

>> Neeraj Prem Masih: Always one to one, always one to one. In some cases, like when I went to the university, it was group over there. There are other 10, 15 students with me, just like in any university, right? So it’s all group. And so you have to stay with the group. But these are two different things, I always tell my students also, that it is always better to practice in groups because then you’re competing with each other. And that is a very important thing as a student, then you compete with each other so that you try to be better than the other and then the others too and tries to better than you. And that is both your standards. So, in university, it was a group setting. But with my father, it was just my brother and me learning, and then with my present teacher, Ustash Jatt Kasab, it’s just me and him. It’s always very personal. It’s very one to one. We call it sina ba sina, meaning chest to chest, we are sitting right in front of each other and, you know, learning.

>> Howard Spring: Yeah. Yeah. Sure. That’s very interesting.

>> Ryan Bruce: At one point, you talked about some lighter classical music or some folk music. So what’s the difference in the lighter music from the classical music you’ve been showing us so far?

>> Neeraj Prem Masih: Yes, there is other kind of lighter music. So lighter music is — Now for lighter music, there’s also lighter tals on tabla, on rhythm. So for classical, it’ll be tals like thin tal, ektal, rupak, jhaptal, these are classical taals. Now for lighter music, they will be like dadra, keherwa, adta. This kind of taal, pajini, these are the taals which are used for lighter music.

>> Ryan Bruce: What characterizes those taals as something different? How are they different from the other ones, from the classical tals?

>> Neeraj Prem Masih: Those taals are peppy tals. Very peppy. Those are very peppy tals. For instance, [inaudible].

[ Music ]

So this is keherwa. So the tal itself is so peppy that whatever I play on it will become very lighter and very mischievous kind of. Another one, dadra.

[ Music ]

So, now, lighter music, basically music, even classical music, it all originated from our folk music, then the folk music came into the temples and from temples, it came to the courts and from courts, it came into public. Before classical music was not in India, at least, was not meant for common people. Common people didn’t have that privilege or pleasure of listening to or being involved with classical music. It was only for very top-notch royal people that could afford royal musicians and music. And then it — when it came to the temples, and from temples, it came to the people, but it all originated from the folk, for all our raags are based on some or the folk tunes or folk scales. And from that, some became very prominent, and those became raags or aginis, and then rest which are still very popular in nature and very shortly in nature became the semi classical music or the lighter music or the folk music. That’s just like these two pieces that I just played. One is a Sufi, the first one was a Sufi folk tune, very old Sufi folk tune, the mana masculine. And then the other one I played is from Bengal, West Bengal, it’s called patiali, it’s a boatman Song. So — And these people, even common people, know these tunes, they can hum, they can, you know, sing along these tunes. Classical music, you have to sit and listen, and — especially if you know what classical music, then you can enjoy it or enjoy it more. But for folk tunes, [inaudible] or semi-classical music, you don’t need to know it, you don’t need to know the intricacies of that. You will — It is so peppy that you will just enjoy it automatically. So when I play these tunes, people are just, oh, yeah, yeah, play more of this, play more of this, in settings where people don’t know about classical music. So, for instance, another one [inaudible].

[ Music ]

Now, this is, as I said that taals also makes a difference, but this one is on tintal, it’s still a folk tune. But this tune is also used as a raag. I can also use this composition as a raag in tilak kamod or raag bihag, depending on who you ask, because this composition falls in two different categories of raag, raag tilak kamod and raag bihag. But this is also a folk tune. So I can use it as a folk tune and make it lighter version or I can make it deep, bring the depth in it and play the raag. So, raag is more prominent, structured and more deep in nature. And semi-classical or folk tunes or lighter tunes are more light, almost similar to pop, popular music. Very, very close to that nature. So I can include and I can take a lot of liberty in lighter classical pieces, the semi-classical pieces, I can take a lot of liberty. In classical, I cannot take those liberties. In classical, I have to stick to that scale, that movement, those catchphrases and that nature and that mood. I cannot disturb that nature, I cannot go out of that mood. If — As soon as I do that, they will point a finger at me that, oh, he messed up the raag. But, I can do whatever I want as long as it’s tuneful in semi-classical music. In folk tunes, in [inaudible]. So, that is a major difference between the two music or forms of music. So lighter music is very liberal. And classical music is very conservative.

>> Ryan Bruce: Thank you. I’m wondering if you could explain how you’re thinking rhythmically on your instrument, and how that either fits with the taal or the accompaniment, because you were talking to me at one point that that was an important part of how you think when you’re performing.

>> Neeraj Prem Masih: Yes. So, when I am playing, I have to — it is actually similar in both Carnatic, that is South Indian, and also North Indian or Hindu Sunni. It is very similar, but Carnatic music is more talid porset, like krithis and all those things that are very set pieces. In ours, we have to keep that cycle in mind. And that you only keep it in mind, you can only keep it in mind by practising a lot. There’s no other way. There’s no technique to it as such. So you have to listen to the tabla and practice with tabla a lot. You have to know the tabla or the rhythm cycle what this taal is, where is the sam, where is the kali, where is — how is this taal divided, in how many different parts it is divided. So, for instance, tintal is divided into four equal parts of four beats in each part. So this, I need to know as a musician. If I want to be accompanied by a tabla, I need to know what tintal consists of. And then where is the kali, OK, nine beat as kali, and then some is number one. So I have — Once I know this, then I have to listen to the tabla a lot over a period of time, and listen to different taals a lot. And then once I do that, then I start playing it with the tabla. And then I — when I make a mistake, then I’m, OK, I made mistakes, so I keep repeating. So it’s all a very repetitive process, very repetitive process until you get it right. And once you get it right, then it kind of sets in here, then I don’t even have to listen to tabla, I don’t even look at tabla and I know where I am in relation to tabla. And I just keep improvising and I come where I want to come when I want to come. So for — Maybe I’ll give you one example of that.

[ Music ]

So this is composition going on. Now I’m —

[ Music ]

And with only thinking about it, I pick up my composition when I’m done improvising. So I don’t have to look at tabla, I don’t have to think about it. So it is all about how many hours of [inaudible] practice I’ve put in with tabla. And now I know tabla has — back of my hand, I can just pick it up, pick him up on the shins, wherever. I can improvise wherever I can come back whenever and wherever I want.

>> Ryan Bruce: It seems the way you’re describing it is how you’re improvising around the cycles. But you also mentioned a couple of other terms there, some being the beat one of the taal. And tali being the weak beat or the wave of the taal. How are those important for your playing, how you’re constructing your phrases or melodies?

>> Neeraj Prem Masih: Well, that is very important, because, see sam, that is beat number one I just said, and mukurna. Mukurna is the starting of my composition, not the tabla. Sam is the starting of the tabla, where it starts from that, just sam. Wherever I start from, that is mukurna. Now that mukurna can be beat number seven, beat number 12, beat number nine or beat number one. It can be anywhere. So, I have to know tabla and need to know the sam and kali and my mukurna, where we’re starting. For instance, this composition starts from beat number seven. And also, tabla player needs to know this very well, where my composition, what my mukurna is and what beat number it’s starting from. So, I will not let him start first. I will start and then he will pick it up. So that will demonstrate that he knows where my mukurna or what beat number and then he’ll come on to sam.

[ Music ]

So he already established, OK, from the very first line, you know that, OK, he says that and this is sam. So from the next cycle, just know with the mukurna is, and where he has to come in from. So this is coming from beat number seven, da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da, one, two. So, seven, eight, nine, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, one, two, three. So — And that is [inaudible]. And now you start and I will play.

[ Music ]

So we both have to be on the same page in relation to the rhythm. And he should know my mukurna. I should know his sam, and I should know some kali and the division of the taal. That just helps me to create my phrases and my improvisation. And when I’m done with it, that helps me to come back to my composition. It just makes it easier. Does that make sense?

>> Ryan Bruce: Great. Yeah. How does a tihai fit in with this?

>> Neeraj Prem Masih: Now, tihai is a very rhythmic thing. In our style, we don’t play too many tihais, but we do play tihais. But tihai is, basically, for rhythm and anything related to rhythm. For an instrumentalist, we keep rhythm as an accompaniment, not as one highlighted thing. So it is just accompanying us. But tabla or rhythm is very much prominent in dance whether it is kathak or Bharatnatyam or whichever from Odyssey Kuchipudi. So, that is where all the fun of tihai is or in the solar recital of tabla, pakhawaj and mrdangam, then that is where we enjoy tihais because tihai is a very rhythmic thing. But tihais — And tihais are mostly set. tihai is a very set thing. Most of the tihais that tabla play or pakhawaj and mridangam play, they are already preset. Very seldom when they will come, tihai as an improvisation. But in our system, we play tihai mostly improvisation and very seldom set tihais we play. So in our system, it’s opposite. That is why we don’t play too many tihais. But here, I’ll give you an example of tihai that I have not set. So first, I’ll play a tihai, which I have not set. I’ll just come up with that tihai. And then secondly, I’ll play a tihai which is already set.

[ Music ]

So this, I didn’t set. I just thought of it, I played the taal and I just came in and I — OK, from this beat, I will come and I’ll make a tihai. So again.

[ Music ]

So again, I didn’t set this, it just came. Now, a set tihai, which is already prefixed here.

[ Music ]

So this is a tihai which it — and this, I can also play as a taal and also tihai. Watch.

[ Music ]

So this is the difference in two different ways of playing tihais. You can play set tihais, which you have already learnt and practice a lot, and that you can slap anywhere after your improvisation because you know where, in relation to tabla, you are and you know where the tihai starts from and where the tihai ends. Or you can just have more fun and create your own tihai on the spot, which is called opaj. And I just find it more fun to create tihais on the spot. Sometimes it doesn’t come. Sometimes we mess up because in improvisation, sometimes if you’re not careful or your calculation is messed up, then you might fall somewhere else, but then you have to make do and then, you know, come back to it. So — But it’s more fun to improvise a tihai than to play a prefixed tihai for me.

>> Ryan Bruce: Great. In that example you were playing, what parts weren’t considered a tihai?

>> Neeraj Prem Masih: Tihai was only that last part of it here. For instance, I will do this.

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These are all tan, these are not tihais. So only when I’m using tabla and I decided, OK, now, I’m going to get back with [inaudible]. So this is tihai. Anything that is repeated three times is a tihai. Any similar phrase that is repeated three times is a tihai [inaudible].

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This is a tihai. So same line repeated three times. OK.

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So I will be demonstrating what a raag is and how it’s played in a very short manner. The raag usually is played for — anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour, but I will try to do it in five to seven minutes and see how it goes. So the very first part of raag is the alap jor jhala. I’ll do alap, jor and jhala really quickly. Just give me glimpses of what it is and how it is played.

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So when I’m doing alap, I will use my three optics. Now I try to enjoy it as much as I can to my abilities in each octave, starting from the lower octave to medium and then higher.

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So for instance, I finished my lower octave, now I’m getting into my medium octave.

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Now, I’m going to work my higher octave.

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And then once I’m done in my higher octave, I’ll come back to medium octave. And my alap, then start my jor from there.

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So now, I’m keeping this rhythm. This rhythm tells that this is the jor, starting on jor.

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And then I’m increasing my tempo for my jor so I’m [inaudible] the tempo, so that after [inaudible].

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Now, I’m going to my [inaudible] now.

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And then, I keep increasing the tempo, then after that [inaudible] is done, then I end it.

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And after this, alap jor jhala. I come to my second part of composition — recital, that is. The madhi laigat or medium tempo composition. Now, gat and bandish, these are the Indian words or Hindi words for a composition. So in medium composition, I’ll start [inaudible] tintal. That is 15 beast rhythm cycle.

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So now, I’m building up my composition. And to start that, I’ll do — I’ll use alap, two phrases of alap and two phrases of jor. Then I’ll implement some small tans, then longer tans. Then I’ll do some phrases in between so that will all build up and make the medium part of my improvisation on this composition.

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Then I just created a tihai and I came back onto my mukurna [inaudible], beginning of my composition. Mukurna is the word, Hindi word for beginning of the composition, just that some [inaudible].

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And then I [inaudible] it and keep playing the composition for fret, and then again do my fast tempo or drut.

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1. Now — And we got — has got two parts to it. First is called tai [inaudible], that is the first part of the gat or the composition. The second part is called antara. The first I play there, first part that is tai.

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So this is called the first part of the composition tai. Now, I play antara.

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And that ends my antara. So, both parts are precomposed. These are composed composition, which I have two plains [inaudible]. And then now I can introduce my own thoughts and my own improvisation.

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And then I provide more — bring more tans and phrases. And then I get [inaudible].

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And then we tune the tihai of our writing and we end it at tihai.

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