Musical theory of Raag Kirtan

[GurjantGnostic]

23 minutes ago, GurjantGnostic said:

 

 

Just as the "note" is the basis of the melodic compogs:nent of music, the bol (pronounced bowl) is the foundation for taal. Bol literally means speech or syllables. The vocal bols sound very similar to bols played on the percussive instrument. The most common tabla bols are Dha, Dhi/Dhin, Ti/Tin, Ra, Ki, Ta, Na, Tin, and Te. Different schools of percussion may pronounce the same bol differently. Several bols structured in a specific manner and arranged in sub-divisions are called thekas.

Each bol usually takes up one, halt or quarter of a beat (matra) in a theka. The first beat of a theka is called the sam (pronounced sum). It plays a crucial role in the improvisation structure during a recital -- since it becomes a point of convergence for both the melodic and percussive improvisation. A theka also consists of layers of accents or voids in the first beat of a sub-division. A degree of symmetry, with an elegant manner of the theka leading to the sam, is quite common in the arrangement of the bols in a theka. A theka (also referred to as tool) can theoretically contain between two and 108 beats, although in reality there is no limit. While bols have existed in the percussion repertoire for a long time, thekas are probably a recent phenomenon (perhaps only around 600 years old ) The commonly heard thekas are dadra (6 beats), roopak (7 beats), keherwa (8 beats), jhaptaal (10 beats), ektaal (12 beats), chautal (12 beats), dhamar, deepchandi, jhumra (all 14 beats but with different bols and sub-divisions), and teentaal (16 beats). Although thekas are usually standard, bols of thekas can vary slightly, depending on the musical school or individual style of the tabla player.

A raga is totally dependent on tal (pronounced taal). Vocal music, instrumental music and dance rely on rhythm for its effect on the audience. Tal/tala [1] is the means of measurement of time in music or dance. Rhythm is the breaking up of time in small units. Time is cut into pieces at certain regular intervals. Literally tal means the palm of the hand; the time is measured by the clapping of hands (tali) or beats of drums or sticks. Tal is divided into two halves; Bhari (full) starting with sam, and khali (empty) starting with khali. So tal is an organisation of rhythms or different beats in certain groupings which are smaller units of matras. These rhythmic units repeat themselves in cycles. The drummer has to produce the spoken syllable indicating the position of the hand on the drum.

Tala (also written as (‘’Tal’’) in Indian music and Gurbani Kirtan refers to a complete and complex system for the execution and transcription of Rhythms and Beats. There exist over 20 different ‘’Talas’’ or ‘Beat Patterns’. The most common Tala in Classical Indian Music is the Theen Tala. This beat has a cycle of 16 beats divided in 4 sectors. Sectors 1,2 and 4 are full while sector 3 is empty. These beat patterns can also be played at different speeds.

Clearly other bols are used because some of these fine Tabla players love making that tabla Jaap Naam. 

It looks like the sum is the first section where a beat could be placed and that is what is coordinated on. 

[ipledgeblue]

On 12/26/2021 at 8:19 AM, GurjantGnostic said:

Well. The information online is really disappointing and what I can find isn't even from Sikhs mainly which is..sad.

Please. Whatever we know or can find let us post everything about Raag and tabla, how to play Kirtan true to the form. 

you should see some of the arguments people have had with me on here when trying to promote raag keertan over their own "personal" styles. Have been equally getting resistance from  one sikh whatsapp group.

 

Most of the excuses I get are, that Guru doesn't put importance in needing to sing in Raag, and that those sikhs who argue with me that keertan can be done in "simple" tunes, although I am kinda confused how sikh Rock can be considered simple tunes! 

 

A total shame that it is not discussed enough, and the importance is not seen, and sikhs will even downplay by saying Gurus did not put the importance on singing in Raag.

 

The worst thing is, you will see sikhs in turbans and even in bana just doing their own tunes or making arguments against me for talking about Raag, yet you will see Muslims that are Mardana's descendents trying to preserve gurmat keertan vidiya all the way in Pakistan.

...have we all become lazy or is it some political agenda from deras, cults, sgpc etc???

[Kaurr]

On 12/27/2021 at 9:00 AM, GurjantGnostic said:

Could you post that please even though I can't read it all yet?

http://www.discoversikhism.com/sikh_library/gurmukhi/gurmat_sangeet_darpan_part_1.html

 

[GurjantGnostic]

3 hours ago, Kaurr said:

http://www.discoversikhism.com/sikh_library/gurmukhi/gurmat_sangeet_darpan_part_1.html

 

Well that site is <banned word filter activated>, but let's look at this section. Lol. 

Nice. Hosting an appropriated book. DiscoverSIKHI and Sikhnet have that in common. 

Shukria. 

[GurjantGnostic]

On 12/28/2021 at 3:07 PM, GurjantGnostic said:

Well that site is <banned word filter activated>, but let's look at this section. Lol. 

Nice. Hosting an appropriated book. DiscoverSIKHI and Sikhnet have that in common. 

Shukria. 

"Did you know Harmandir literally means place of worship for all people."

Is literally a quote from discoverSIKHIsm. Or as close as I can get without sifting through there.  

Really. Because. Literally I thought literal meant literal and that meant literally Har's Mandir. 

Now what purpose could it serve to say Gurudwara are not ours, but everybody's? To do their thing in?

<banned word filter activated> wasp snakes bro. 

"Shh don't worry little boy or little girl. This is all just an illusion of oneness. I'm not touching you innappropriately you are. We're all God. God's doing that. Oneness. Oneness. Truth. None of this matters. There is no Rehit. Do whatever. All you have to say is Naam. The rest of Sikhi is fake. We only like to say Nanak and oneness a lot. We can't debate for <banned word filter activated> because we have devilish forked tongues and no actual substance. Don't forget to fund your own demise with your donation dollars we will ask everywhere always "

That's the tldr for sikhnet, discoversikhism and all the wasp cultists on both side of the pond attacking this Paanth, their several now decapitated trolls, all smug and nice and civilized. Lol. Gtfo here.