CARNATIC-Indian Classical Music & Software Synth

Comments

• Rapid Dev

  December 2012 edited 8:51AM

  CARNATIC-Microtuning Requirements and Microtonal Variations-Vibrato
  
  
  
  Indian Classical Music also known as carnatic music divides 1 octave to 22 notes.
  
  For simplicity, there is the common definition of dividing 1 octave to 16 notes.
  
  The root pitch and the fifth is always fixed. The rest range between these two notes.
  
  [ meaning the second note has 3 variations, the third note has 3 variations, the fourth note has 2 variations,
  
  the sixth note has 3 variations, and the seventh note has 3 variations]
  
  The total is 1+3+3+2+1+3+3 = 16
  
  
  
  All indian classical music has lyrics The root pitch varies based on singer.
  
  
  
  This means that the musicians will tune their instruments (or use another backup instrument) based on the singer. (Note: Even the percussion instruments - drums - Mridangam or Tabla must be tuned to the root pitch of the singer)
  
  
  
  There are 72 basic scales. Each scale has 7 notes. Each scale has a particular name where the first two syllables of the name translates to the scale Number. Example Scale (aka Raag) Name: "Mayamalavagoula". The syllable "Ma" = 5 and the syllable "ya" = 1. Therefore from this raag number 15 in the list of 72 raags. (Think in german numbers - don't say fifteen but say "5 and 10")
  
  
  
  REQUIREMENT: The root pitch must be allowed to be adjusted.
  
  SUB-REQUIREMENT: Each note must be allowed to be adjusted by -+250. Yes, this does mean that the notes may overlap. The reason for this is that, the musician is able to maintain the same fingering yet play a different Raag(Scale).
  
  SUB-REQUIREMENT: Using a keyswitch or CC the user may select to switch to another scale (microtonal variation set). Note that for 90% of the Carnatic songs, each song usually uses only one scale. When a song uses more than one raag/scale, the song is said to use a garland of scales - Raag Maalika.
  
  
  
  The scales (knows as raags) with microtonal variations are defined specifically to evoke specific emotions i.e. Raag Atana for Valor, Raag Subha Pantuvarali for Pathos/Great Sadness or loss, etc
  
  Sri.M.S.Gopalakrishnan- Neepogadakunte-Subha Pantuvarali - Emotion:Pathos/Great Sadness or loss
  
  i.e.
  
  
  
  Each scale has a predetermined microtonal variation depending on whether the melody is moving up the scale or down the scale. Each scale may have multiple subsets that are defined by dropping one or more notes from the scale. The subset is known as a Janya Raag and also has a unique name with specific microtonal variations.
  
  
  
  Now. Lets talk about the microtonal variations. Each Raag has a predetermined set of microtunings and ALSO a predetermined set of microtonal variations that have been set based if the song is moving up the scale or down the scale.
  
  
  
  REQUIREMENT: With regards to vibrato there are 3 types and its know as "Kampita". The first is the same as the western vibrato
  
  Which means the sound varies centered around a note -+ 5 from the note. (Note that the -+ value would need to be controlled in real time and may range to -+ 100 )
  
  
  
  SUB-REQUIREMENT: The second is when the vibrato's center moves lower that the current note or another way to look at it, the vibrato starts from the current note and vibrates downwards and back to the current note without going past the current note
  
  
  
  SUB-REQUIREMENT: The third is the same as the second but it moves upwards instead.
  
  
  
  I noticed that Chris Heins Compact Sax etc has this on the menu. CHC has Separate key switches that can be assigned for upward/downward vibrato along with control parameters.
  
  
  
  REQUIREMENT SUGGESTION: If we had this kind of vibrato control, I could assign, a CC for upward vibrato, another CC for downward vibrato; each cc controlling the width, AND using the velocity to control the speed of the vibrato (perhaps) - allowing for glissando or portamento or legato control of the vibrations on the fly
  
  
  
  You may see the clear implementation of this on the instrument ChitraVeenai - This is almost like a country western steel guitar. The specialist in this is Prodigy Ravikiran
  
  
  
  On the Mandolin you may hear the specialist Prodigy Mandolin Srinivas with violin accompaniment
  
  
  
  
  
  NOTE: All these musicians play the Carnatic music compositions which are composed in the mid 1700s along with numerous other pieces that predates by a millennium. And all these music pieces have specific lyrics.
• Rapid Dev

  December 2012 edited 8:51AM

  CARNATIC- Synths with Root pitch and Microtuning
  
  
  
  Synths in KONTAKT have the provision that allows the user to change the root pitch using the POT "Tune"
  
  Under the Script button, Preset->Factory->Microtuning-etc there is a way to edit the range from 50 to 250
  
  and using the "Bar Graph" change the tuning.
  
  
  
  Unfortunately, when this is done to most synths (a lot of them are locked so they will not allow this to be done) in KONTAKT, the sound completely distorts.
  
  
  
  One good example where this can be done successfully is the very old Hollow Sun Organa synth. This replicates the old Hohner keyboard and has the sound of the old Indian Harmonium. This Hohner is a reed organ with a fan
  
  
  
  For Indian Classical Singers, I would recommend this synth from Hollow Sun as it replicates the sound of the standard "Indian Harmonium" and allows the user to retune the keys. - Just modify the script range from 50 to 250 and any raag can be tuned to the white keys for accompaniment of a singer. Of course, as any harmonium, the gamakas ( microtonal variations) control is limited. But a harmonium synth for $15 is hard to beat
  
  http://www.hollowsun.com/hs2/sli/organa/index.htm
  
  
  
  
  
  Another synth that has the Functionality is NUSofting EMM Knagalis. This has the functionality of changing the root pitch. The user can select a range of instruments and EMM Knagalis has Shenai and also a Sitar sound. (even a Bag Pipe sound!) http://nusofting.liqihsynth.com/knagalis.html
  
  
  
  Most importantly, Knagalis has Microtuning implemented by loading a Notepad editable TEXT File. Just create a text files with 12 numbers separated by CRLF and on each line specify a positive or negative value on the amount that you want to detune the note of the octave and you are done. This software has the easiest method implemented for microtuning that I have come across. If you detune the root, all the notes follow along. The text file names are listed automatically in the menu and cane be named from one Raag to another raag.
  
  
  
  
  
  Knagalis has another critical feature. The Tambura or Drone.
  
  
  
  In Indian classical music, whenever any piece is being played, a stringed instrument called Tambura will be played in the background. This instrument plays the root note and the fifth (both the current scale and the one below). The instrument continuously plays this.
  
  When wind instruments are being played, instead of the Tambura, another instrument used to be played called the Ottu. This has been replaced by a Electronic Version by this company from Bangalore India called Radel founded by G.Raj Narayan, he truly was a visionary, inventor, a good man and I was lucky to meet him. They specialize in this http://www.radelindia.com/
  
  
  
  REQUIREMENT: The synth must have the Tambura sound and/or the Drone sound included. This background instrument must have separate tunings knobs and Volume Knobs. Refer to EMM Knagalis
  
  
  
  The foundation of Indian Classical music is not based on Absolute Notes but Relative Notes. What I mean is that when a singer/musicians plays a note, they hear their note and also the sound from the Tambura which is the Root and Fifth notes. The musicians use the Root and Fifths notes as ropes of a Trapeze and perform vocal gymnastics. The music sound is based on itself AND ALSO on the difference between the sound of the musician AND the root along with the fifth!
• Rapid Dev

  December 2012 edited 8:51AM

  CARNATIC- Controlled Glissando
  
  
  
  The term Glissando is regarded as a microtonal variation in Indian Classical music and is known by the name Jaaru. Jaaru has two permutations - the first is from the higher note to the lower note and the second is from a lower note to a higher note.
  
  
  
  One of the current synths that expresses this beautifully is The Trombone.
  
  http://www.samplemodeling.com/en/products_trombone.php
  
  The synth translates the moving of the slide to create the slide effect beautifully.
  
  With CC control, the speed of the slide can be controlled.
  
  Unfortunately, the synth does not allow for the microtuning requirements outlined in the previous postings
  
  
  
  
  
  Another synth that has a haunting and heart wrenching glissando effect is LA Scoring Strings LPG Viola (LPG = Legato Portamento Glissando). Refer to http://audiobro.com/lass-2-0/ There is a CC to turn Legato on/off (Default CC 111), it does allow for microtuning, but unfortunately the vibrato control is limited to the type 1 i.e. the type that the sound varies centered around a note.
  
  
  
  In LASS, switching samples can be achieved by installing the MIDI Program Change Script in Kontakt and triggering the program change. But once again with the inability to control the vibrato as specified, it can't be used for Indian Classical:(
  
  
  
  REQUIREMENT: The ability perform glissando over 12 semitones by specifying the first note followed by the second note and controlling the speed of the glide using a CC value. The musician must be able to move from any of the 3 types of vibrato to the glides effortlessly
  
  
  
  Ravikiran demonstrates this perfectly on the Chitraveenai
  
  
  
  
  
  Synth maker always try to program in the physical limitations of the instrument into the synth. I believe the objective of the synth is sound and if a person's voice is able to perform certain vocal gymnastics, then the synth for that instrument should also be able to do that even though the instrument may be limited.
  
  
  
  Another implementation of the glide function is the Wavelore Glide Syth. http://www.wavelore.com/products.php?product=WLG
  
  
  
  
  
  On a side note, the people who practice yoga tend to say the word AUM. Unfortunately, the pronunciation of many leaves a lot to be desired. But when learning how to play the wind instrument Nadhaswaram (refer to link Namagiripetai playing ), the first lesson is to be able to "say" AUM using the nadhaswaram.
  
  This is done be playing glissando from the root to the fifth, fifth to the higher root, higher root back to the fifth, fifth to the root, root to the lower fifth, and finally from the lower fifth to the root. Each part is done using glissando. If a person cannot recognize the fifths, their effort on saying AUM is erroneous.
  
  
  
  The fingering of the Nadhaswaram was the same for more than 1000 years. In the early 1900,
  
  Thiruvavaduthurai Rajaratnam Pillai (TNR) got some artisan's (archaarees) together at his home and invented the Madhyama Sruthi Nadhaswaram - Which means that when all the holes are covered the Nadhaswaram plays, the sound Ma(Madhyama); which is regarded to be the middle of the octave (not to be confused with the Fifth); resounds. Most Nadhaswaram use a root note of either D or Eb nowadays. The mouth piece is made from an actual reed that grows on the banks of the river Kaveri and is harvested, dried, cut and tied to small copper cylinders that is used to insert into the nadhaswaram. One of the specialists in making this mouth piece lived in Thiruvengadu and as a young boy he sat and made these mouth pieces for TNR. He told me before he passed away that TNR used gold cylinders instead of copper.
  
  
  
  The instrument has a range of two and a half octaves - similar to the flute. Some of the famous vidwans would include : Thiruvavadudurai Rajaratnam Pillai , Dr.Thiruvengadu Subramania Pillai, Thiruvizha Jaisankar, MPM Sethuraman & Ponnusamy, Sembanar koil brothers, Namagiripettai Krishnan, Karukurichi Arunachalam, Bangalore Kodandaram, etc
  
  
  
  The original fingering is used by the clarinet but the current fingering, created in the early 1900s, that is used by the nadhaswaram is significantly better and allows greater latitude. Also the original Nadhaswaram before the 1900s were at a higher pitch.
• kalkrishnan

  January 2013 edited 8:51AM

  Hi, there! I am SOOO happy to see another person with interest in Carnatic music posting on this forum! I was thinking I was the only nut case
  
  
  
  I know the current crop of synths are not perfect for Carnatic music. But, there is a lot of fun to be had nonetheless working with these imperfections I remember when Kadri first started bringing the Saxophone into Carnatic music, the purists said that this was "unsuitable" (some of them still do!), but hey, who can argue with his success!
  
  
  
  With that in mind, I have started some experimentation. So far in my life I have only been a "rasika", so the whole music making thing is VERY new to me. But, I think it also gives me an added advantage that I don't have the pre-conceived notions which leaves me free to experiment! (at least, that is what I tell myself, to keep at it!)
  
  
  
  I made a YouTube recording of SampleModeling's Clarinet with Bantu Reeti. It has many mistakes, but please do take a listen to the whole song: I am encouraged enough to keep up the experimentation.
  
  
  
  Do you play an instrument? Have you made any recordings with or without synths? I would be very interested to take a listen. Thanks!
• dstong

  February 2013 edited 8:51AM

  To: Kalkrishnan
  
  
  
  Your stuff on youtube sounds very good to me, even if it is not yet up to your expectations. I enjoyed listening to it and I would love to learn to play Classical Indian music.
  
  
  
  Although I know very little about this style of music, I love the sound of it, as well as Persian Classical music, which has some similarities, no?
  
  
  
  I would suggest adding a bit more reverb to your clarinet output. A very nice, simple, free VST reverb that I use is called TAL-Reverb-2 (W7 64bit available).
  
  
  
  Thanks,
  
  
  
  Dan
• kalkrishnan

  February 2013 edited 8:51AM

  Hi, Dan!
  
  
  
  Thanks for your kind words. Yes, Persian classical music has some similarities with Hindustani (North Indian) Classical music, which has many similarities with Carnatic (South Indian) classical music. There is a continuum as there were many exchanges of high culture over the millennia! I. as an Indian, would stick to our claim on it, through the ancient chants of Sama Veda (like Gregorian Chant music) from several millennia BC, but of course, Persians may disagree, citing Nebuchadnezzar, or Zoro Aster, or some other ancient authority. Who cares, it is all wonderful music with ancient origins, and I feel blessed to be able to partake of its perennial grace.
  
  
  
  I will definitely try more reverb, as you suggest. I use a Mac so the one you cited may not apply (it only has a 32 bit version on the Mac) but there are others available, such as FreeVerb. I am just thrilled to pieces to be able to make this kind of music, thanks to the miracles of modern technology, such as what these guys at SampleModeling put out. Kudos to them!
  
  
  
  -Kal.