Learning The Vajja At Home!

[UsernameTaken]

Basically I really REALLY want to learn how to play my vajja!

I've had it for a while now and have tried going to kirtan classes.

The first one I went to was quite good as I learnt my 'sa re ga ma...' there but then the teacher stopped teaching and would just leave the class, so everyone would just waste time and talk. :lol:

The second class I joined was okay but I just don't have enough time to make a commitment and join a class!

so I've begun learning at home myself! is there anyone here who knows how to play the vajja?

if you do could you help me out and suggest a shabad that would be the easiest to learn first ?

Bhul chuk maaf and thank you ji

[jkvlondon]

Basically I really REALLY want to learn how to play my vajja!

I've had it for a while now and have tried going to kirtan classes.

The first one I went to was quite good as I learnt my 'sa re ga ma...' there but then the teacher stopped teaching and would just leave the class, so everyone would just waste time and talk. :lol:

The second class I joined was okay but I just don't have enough time to make a commitment and join a class!

so I've begun learning at home myself! is there anyone here who knows how to play the vajja?

if you do could you help me out and suggest a shabad that would be the easiest to learn first ?

Bhul chuk maaf and thank you ji

you can learn via youtube ...try

Satnam singh khalsa channel

Manmohan SIngh channel

they show shabad on the keyboard then demonstrate it ... hope this helps

[UsernameTaken]

you can learn via youtube ...try

Satnam singh khalsa channel

Manmohan SIngh channel

they show shabad on the keyboard then demonstrate it ... hope this helps

Thank you pen ji

but the only problem is my voice is really feminine and sometimes all you can hear is the vajja tune and a little squeak in the background haha!

Do you know any female channels ?

[jkvlondon]

Thank you pen ji

but the only problem is my voice is really feminine and sometimes all you can hear is the vajja tune and a little squeak in the background haha!

Do you know any female channels ?

Oh Waheguru ...you made me laugh ...I don't know of any specifically but if you start with those I'll try and find some more things that will help will building up your voice

[jkvlondon]

Thank you pen ji

but the only problem is my voice is really feminine and sometimes all you can hear is the vajja tune and a little squeak in the background haha!

Do you know any female channels ?

RagaTracks .... you can tune your voice to scales

MeetKalakar... have loads of beginner vocal exercises to strengthen voice female leader of lesson more classical desi raag

[Jonny101]

Basically I really REALLY want to learn how to play my vajja!

I've had it for a while now and have tried going to kirtan classes.

The first one I went to was quite good as I learnt my 'sa re ga ma...' there but then the teacher stopped teaching and would just leave the class, so everyone would just waste time and talk. :lol:

The second class I joined was okay but I just don't have enough time to make a commitment and join a class!

so I've begun learning at home myself! is there anyone here who knows how to play the vajja?

if you do could you help me out and suggest a shabad that would be the easiest to learn first ?

Bhul chuk maaf and thank you ji

Try to learn from the visiting Ragis who come to your Gurdwara. Pay them a little, they are professional kirtanis, learn basics, easy Shabads at start.

[Cisco_Singh]

Channel your efforts into learning proper raad vidiya and traditional puraatan instruments that existid in the court of Guru Hargobind Maharaj... You do know that the Vaaja is not a atraditional Sikhi/Kirtan or even Indian instrument it's origins are the "european harmonium" it was introdiced by the British during times of the Raj to make Kirtan sound closer to church organ music.

Yet another one of the long list of lost/changed/perverted Sikhi traditions. If you really want to learn proper Kirtan first learn real classical music and raag vidiya then learn Sarangi, Rabaab, Dilruba, Saranda etc etc.

[jkvlondon]

Channel your efforts into learning proper raad vidiya and traditional puraatan instruments that existid in the court of Guru Hargobind Maharaj... You do know that the Vaaja is not a atraditional Sikhi/Kirtan or even Indian instrument it's origins are the "european harmonium" it was introdiced by the British during times of the Raj to make Kirtan sound closer to church organ music.

Yet another one of the long list of lost/changed/perverted Sikhi traditions. If you really want to learn proper Kirtan first learn real classical music and raag vidiya then learn Sarangi, Rabaab, Dilruba, Saranda etc etc.

Veer ji

Bhaine ji is just getting started , I was starting to put her in touch with raag vidiya through vocal side then was going to share some resources to learn those tanti saaz .. however most vidya for raag kirtan is on vaaja .

I mean you can learn the raags but normally vids are mostly demoed on vaaja, even panthnrattan bhai Avtar Singh ji Hazoori raagi spent a long time using vaaja despite his family's background going back to Guru Har Gobind ji's time .

Jawaadi Taksal have a channel on youtube teaching raag they have made good efforts to keep Gurmat Sangeet alive

I would also use Bhai Avtar SIngh ji's books to study raag . I did find a gora teaching dilruba step by step videos I'm gonna try to locate his name again. Problem with Tanti saaz as taught in Gurudwara is the cost ... the instruments are in the hundreds as is the tutition ... shame that those who say they would love a revival (raj academy) love their paise that little bit more .

[Cisco_Singh]

Those who use Vaaja is because they do not have teachers who can teach them purataan Raag Vidiya, the science and the teachers with the knowledge are few and far between it is becoming a lost science...simialr to how puraatan shastar skills and swordsmanship has been largley lost and replaced with circus clown gatka dancers.

Like I said the Vaaja was introduced to India from Eurpean origins at the time of the British Raaj..aka it came in the 1800's, then it was introiduced into Sikh institutions. Prior to this how were Gursikhs taught Kirtan and Raag Vidiya ?? More importantly the majority of modern day gyanis and sangat probably doent know anything about Raag Vidiya so we dont even know if what we are listening to is correct...

Of recent times, the Naamdharis for all their failings, took the initaive and put great effort into learning traditional indian clasical music and raag vidiya, which is why they excel against most main stream SIkhs in Gurmat Sangeet.

[Jonny101]

Channel your efforts into learning proper raad vidiya and traditional puraatan instruments that existid in the court of Guru Hargobind Maharaj... You do know that the Vaaja is not a atraditional Sikhi/Kirtan or even Indian instrument it's origins are the "european harmonium" it was introdiced by the British during times of the Raj to make Kirtan sound closer to church organ music.

Yet another one of the long list of lost/changed/perverted Sikhi traditions. If you really want to learn proper Kirtan first learn real classical music and raag vidiya then learn Sarangi, Rabaab, Dilruba, Saranda etc etc.

But where is it written that Vaaja cannot be used for kirtan? if one goes by the logic that it is not traditionally India, then so are many Indian instruments such as Sarangi, Sitar, Rabab which have their origins in the middle east/Central asia and came to India with Islamic invaders. Just because an instrument is european does not make it bad.