In my extensive research running since last many years in respect of the poor aspirants learning music I have been finding many interesting, intriguing and important facts which are hitherto unknown either to a common man or even to a musician and I have been used to scribble them here and there. Thinking that these important facts, though bitter, certainly help not only the aspirants but also the art in one way or the other I hereby start to furnish them in these posts and continue them whenever it is needed under the same head for the benefit of the aspirants and their parents. amsharma
IMPORTANT-FACTS:
-----If we never think ourselves great in any aspect or respect and if we always keep our ears and eyes open to learn things we can, no doubt, do miracles in serving others. But, at the same time our main aim must be to serve our brothers and sisters truly and truthfully but not in merely doing miracles. Very fortunately, I am blessed by the Almighty and HE only has been keeping me always on the right track even in this KALIYUGA. Without any egoistic temperaments if we very strictly base on logic we will never fail in doing things very quickly and efficiently.
-----Many of our musicians following the traditional methods in teaching music and having the conservative and egoistic temperaments may not agree with me but it is well and good if they all keep in mind that I, at this old age of 76 years, do not or need not have any thing against anybody but the illogical and harmful methods followed in teaching our music to the poor and ignorant aspirants.
-----Since time immemorial all our musicians have always been used to sing or play themselves in terms of their regular practice or to sing in their regular concerts. Thus, to facilitate their regular singing or playing either for their regular practice or for their regular concerts they have formulated the present system of singing or playing themselves and making the aspirants also sing or play along with them like the father who always goes along with his son to take him to his school and bring him back daily along with him but never initiates his son go to school on his own. As the maestros and legends are very busily engaged mostly with their regular practice and in attending their frequent concerts at different places the time they were spending was very little either with their family members or with their disciples which facilitated only to elongate the process of learning for many years. While the notated compositions are very helpful and reliable to the aspirants in learning music on their own the performers turned music-teachers , to suit their own needs, are always used to create hatred towards writing notation to any of the compositions or for Swarakalpana or Ragalapana which invariably helps to elongate the process of learning. Since time immemorial this kind of monotonous strategy has been formulated and implemented by all these performers turned music-teachers to maintain their lean time in teaching the aspirants. Later, in 1900, with great heart, wisdom and honesty Subbarama Dikshitar, looking into the barest needs of the poor aspirants, brought out his monumental work, Sangita Sampradaya Pradarshini along with hundreds of compositions furnishing with symbolized notation for the first time in the history which mostly helps the aspirants to independently work on their own in learning music. But, even though all these musicians have overtly praised Subbarama Dikshitar for bringing out his monumental work, covertly none of them did follow or developed it. Except for getting their doctorates, very sadly, none of our musicians had ever cared either to follow or develop the symbolized notation for the benefit of our aspirants.
-----Even after the invention and introduction of the modern sound-recording gadgets like spool-tape-recorders, cassette-recorders, ipods, CDs and DVDs, even though these teachers have very well been utilizing them plenty for their own purposes and even though they all are very well aware that they help the aspirants a lot, very sadly, none of them ever even tried to write music books with notation and supply them along with pre-recorded cassettes or CDs carrying the same songs sung in the same notation.
-----If the different taxes imposed by the Government are removed the prices of the things like petrol become affordable even to a common man. But, as the Government needs to extract huge amounts from the public in terms of various taxes, all these taxes are included in these prices escalating them very high going beyond the reach of a common man. In the same manner, even though many are not even aware of, even in our music, since time immemorial, a suicidal system in teaching has been formulated by all these performers which helps to always keep them singing or playing a great number of items and simultaneously making the aspirants also sing or play along with them by which aspirants are compelled to become solely dependents upon these teachers. To make this process successful these lethargic performers created an illusion that notation should not be written to the compositions or for Swarakalpana or Ragtalapana. Besides, they also created hatred towards the listening to the recorded music. Thus, to elongate the process for many years they have successfully included umpteen illogicalities and irrationalities too. But, in my extensive research it was proved beyond any doubt that a logical plan with a suitable syllabus certainly quickens the process of learning. By very strictly following this, even an average aspirant can certainly sing even intricate Swarakalpana and Ragalapana even before learning the first Kriti on his/her own hardly within the span of only one year by working hard for 3 to 4 hours daily on his/her own. Basing upon the individual intelligence and hard work this duration may differ from person to person.
-----To tell the fact, instead of giving the ability to deal with the notation, intricacies of different Gatis of Laya and intricacies of the oscillations of notes to the aspirants all these lethargic and selfish musicians have formulated a useless system of singing and making the aspirants also sing along while merely learning a number of compositions which helps the musicians only to always keep them on the track of singing or playing for their performances. That is why, with this ulterior motive only, they have always been used to discourage the aspirants in writing the compositions or Ragalapana or Swarakalpana in notation or even to record them for listening purpose. More over they have always been used to discourage even the usage of the Metronome. In my extensive research all these bitter facts came into light and the things which have all along been discouraged by them have, in turn, been found as the most useful things to make the aspirants independents in many respects.
-----For example, any person needs to know the process of taking the physical measurements of the body, properly cutting the cloth and stitching the pant or shirt are needed to make him/her a successful tailor but not by merely stitching hundreds of pants or shirts. In the same manner, any aspirant of music needs to know the intricacies of writing or singing the notation, different Gatis of Laya and the oscillations of notes to manage with in the process of learning on his/her own but not merely learning hundreds of compositions by listening them from the teacher. Unless and until our so called music-teachers realize and do the needful in this respect all our kids and their parents must remain as dependents upon these parasitical music-teachers wasting their time, energy and money for many years to come.
-----Not only a common man but also even a musician himself/herself has not been aware of how contrarily a music-teacher has been acting to the interests of the aspirants learning music. However, the common men like the higher authorities, being ignorant of the true knowledge of music and thinking that the performers are naturally efficient both in performing and teaching too, are used to appoint them as music-teachers in the teaching institutions which gradually led to the deterioration of the standards in music.
-----In my extensive research I have come across several musicians who are compelled to lead their lives as inefficient-music-teachers due to the self-inefficiencies successfully extended by their teachers themselves. I am also no exception of this. From then onwards I have started to search ways and means in the methods of learning music with minimum dependency upon the teacher. Ultimately, only by the grace of the Almighty, I could formulate a novel method of learning our music, experimented over years upon umpteen aspirants and obtained amazing end-results by which the aspirants, basing mainly upon their individual talents, are able to get the knowledge in writing and following the notation and singing intricate mathematical Swarakalpana in 6 popular Talas along with brief Ragalapana hardly within a span of only one year even before learning the first Kriti on their own. Having been attracted by these successful end-results even some of the music-teachers from different places of Andhra, Karnataka, Tamilnadu and Kerala States have already started following these novel methods and are getting amazing end-results themselves.
-----Even a fool prefers to do anything very fast and to purchase anything very cheap thus saving the time and money much. Even though our great-music-teachers also prefer to do everything in that manner and save their time, energy and money I do not understand in which way they are helpful to the society and justify their living by merely teaching a number of compositions for many years without giving the knowledge of notation or Swarakalpana or Ragalapana to the aspirant.
-----Even the performers or music-lovers living in Chennai are always used to look the entire music-field on par with Vocal only without making any difference between Vocalists and Instrument-players. That is why even the Music Academy, Chennai, which is mostly dominated by the persons having conservative and egoistic temperaments has been used to run either the Teachers’ Training Course or Advanced Diploma Courses for Vocal only but not for any instruments. They did never try even to make videos of Instrumental-players for educational purpose and preserve them for the posterity. Thus, we all have miserably lost the invaluable treasure of the great instrumentalists by the sheer negligence and ignorance of our own people.
-----In general, by close observation we can become aware of the music-lesson being taught. But, unless we are properly equipped with the proper knowledge and analyse we cannot ascertain what is not taught. All this is not to merely point out the mistakes at all but to save the poor aspirants and their parents from the criminal waste of time, energy and money in learning music. Unfortunately, all these performers turned music-teachers formulated a monotonous way of merely singing or playing and making the aspirant also remains singing or playing along under the guise of music-teaching which helps mainly the performers perspective only than the teachers’ perspective; More over, not only to be helpful to their performing profession but also to perennially keep the aspirants and their parents dependents upon them they have wantonly prohibited not only the writing the compositions or Swarakalpana or Ragalapana in notation but also listening to any pre-recorded music. Thus, very sadly, all these performers turned music-teachers wantonly prohibited using the most useful and reliable things in making them solely dependents upon them.
-----When even Dr. Pappu, unlike all others, honestly feeling his duties and responsibilities towards the welfare of the music-society as the Secretary of the prestigious organization, the Music Academy, Chennai, wantonly brought out my controversial reference in respect of the quickening methods in learning our music on 23-12-2013 and also on 26-12-2014, none of the persons in the great gathering could even suggest to invite me to for a Lec-dem in this respect which obviously reveals that there is not even a single honest teacher in this entire gathering. None of them could honestly help the poor aspirants himself/herself or even allow others help them honestly. They all certainly feel very bad of me to read this bitter truth.
-----To tell the truth, unless the vehicle is in proper condition the person cannot proceed efficiently. That is why, the rhythmical abilities of the aspirant must properly, at the first instance, be stabilised to enable him/her move fast. This is the key for the thumping success of this novel qualitative method in learning music. That is why in this system of training the teachers who can efficiently manage with both the Chaturashra and Trisra-gatis only are allowed to teach the aspirants. In this system, unless the aspirant becomes able to deal with both the Chaturashra and Trisra-gatis he/she will not be allowed to move further to deal with notes. It is very important to note that while rhythm could be stabilized very fast notes need much time to get stabilized. This has undoubtedly been proved in umpteen experiments made on several aspirants. Even in my Violin-accompanist-life I have come across many performers who cannot manage even with intricate Chaturashra-gati, leave alone Trisra-gati, but becomes highly reputed performers and teachers too. In general, most of the music-teachers do not have the ability to deal with both even and odd-gatis, Chaturashra and Trisra-gatis. That is why they all sing Alankaras or Varnas in Chaturashra-gati only but never attempt either to sing or teach Trisra-gati to the aspirants.
-----Even all the syllabi of all the music-examinations also are framed by these performers turned music-teachers they have given preference mostly to include a large number of compositions and little preference to Manodharma Sangita. Thus, in all the music examinations learning more compositions or more theory has been given preference than singing the more important Swarakalpana and Ragalapana very sadly. Recently, even though singing the Varna in Trisra-gati also included in some of these syllabi as a eyewash to the critics like me many are not at all aware that most of these teachers are not teaching this item to the aspirants.
-----I am neither a maestro nor a legend nor an expert but I am able to do miracles in the methods of teaching by quickening the process unlike any other music-teacher on earth. Due to their conservative and egoistic temperaments many of other musicians are unable either to follow them or even to condemn them. Due to lack of logical view, very sadly, all our music teachers are used to always elongate the process of learning our music for many years which, in fact, could very easily be finished within the duration of one year.
-----In our music-institute, Swarabhangima, at Secunderabad, presently we have more than 60 school-going-kids who can very efficiently sing all the 7-alankaras @ 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 & 8 notes per each second and both the Purvanga and Uttaranga of all the 9 Varnas @ 4, 6 & 8 notes per each Kriya. They can also sing intricate mathematical Swarakalapana in the six popular Talas along with brief Ragalapana even before learning the first Kriti on their own within a span of two years. I shall remain thankful if any musician on the globe can show me a music-institution on par with our institution.
-----I am neither a maestro nor a legend nor an expert in music but an ordinary music-teacher with many failures. However, while even I am able to minimize the duration of learning music to less then one year can’t these maestros or legends or experts do so and help our poor aspirants and their parents. If they won’t do so but continue their elongated process of teaching music criminally wasting the invaluable time, energy and money of the poor aspirants why can’t they be called parasites I do not understand.
Statistics: Posted by msakella — 06 Jan 2015, 17:49