introduction to professional light flute playing

Current page : Introduction

Traditional method of learning

The best method to become a professional stage artist is to learn under a professional "guru" for years . But how many stage artists (who have to make a living out of it ) will come forward to teach ?There are very few stage artists in Kerala (less than 50 as per my statistics ) in the first place (they seem to be a vanishing species) and none of them bother to teach .They are too busy with stage shows ,ganamelas and recordings. So what happens to the poor guy who wants to play like a pro? He may have spent years learning   the rudiments of carnatic music on the flute under lesser teachers and since he does not get a professional stage artist as a "Guru" he simply drops the idea .

The essential difference between classical flute playing and "light " flute playing

The Carnatic flute has 8 holes (excluding the blow hole or embouchure ) and all carnatic ragas and keerthanas are played in "samam " ie , in the same octave .For example the Krithi "vaathapi ganapathim " can be played on one single carnatic flute of any octave from beginning to end as some of you may be aware . Many aspiring light flautists make the first mistake of trying to imitate the flute tunes of film music in their 8 holed Carnatic flute .

The difference in flutes

Light malayalam film songs flute backgrounds or "BITS" as they are known are played in 6 holed (excluding the blow hole) Hindustani flutes on an entirely different principle. One must have a set of flutes from Octave C Bass (carnatic sruthi 1) to E Top (carnatic sruthi 3). The biggest one will be about 2 1/2 feet long and the smallest one will fit into your shirt pocket .The quality of the flutes are of utmost importance and it depends on your geographical location .For example it is impossible to find a good professional flutes in Kerala or in Tamil Nadu . However I can recommend one quality flute maker in Mumbai , India , who produces some of the best recording flutes in the world .A full set will cost about RS 20,000/- .I would recommend that you go in person to the Flute Maker rather than order remotely so that he can make the flutes to your specific calibration or mouth positioning . I would also recommend that you buy a full set . ( a re-commended Light flute makers address is available in the section --Miscellaneous )

BASIC REQUIREMENTS NEEDED TO PLAY MY NOTES

The notes I have provided can be understood and played only by a person who has a basic capacity of playing carnatic music on the flute

Note Methodology

Since carnatic music does not have a perfect notation system unlike westen music the visitor will have to use his common sense to   "decipher"   the notes. I am using the   English alphabet to replace the 7 "swaras" in carnatic music .Another challenge is notating the beat or "Thalam" .Again I appeal to the common sense of the Visitor to take over .However, I personally believe that one need not pay much attention to such details. If you are able to play the notes to your satisfaction with a good resemblance to the original after looking up my notes then I leave the re-writing of the notes to your liking in whatever manner you feel like.What matters is that you should be able to read the notes you have made on your own and must be able to play them for yourself .

Basic flute fingering methodology used .

The notation system is based on the carnatic system of flute playing.In order to avoid confusion , I will explain my system of fingering in detail.

FULL NOTES :--(Meaning when a note hole is fully closed)

Sa--Ist two holes closed,rest open .

Re--Ist hole closed,rest open

Ga--All holes open

Ma--Ist hole open,rest closed OR all fingers closed.

Pa--Ist five holes closed,rest open .

Da--Ist four holes closed,rest open.

Ni--Ist three holes closed, rest open.

HALF NOTES :--(Meaning when a note hole is half closed )

Re--Ist hole fully closed and second hole 1/2 closed, rest open.

Da--Ist four holes fully closed and fifth hole 1/2 closed, rest open.

Ni--Ist two holes fully closed and third hole 1/2 closed .rest open .

Ma--Ist five holes closed,last hole 1/2 closed.

Additional link:http://www.anubodh.com/Carnatic_fing_chart/Carnatic_Fing_Chart.html

PECULIAR NOTATION PROBLEMS

It is technically impossible to have a complete notation for any given film song .The reasons are:--

(1) In many songs there is an introductory flute piece which is note set to a given beat or "talam".In such instances it is literarily  impossible to notate these notes in the beat system.These pieces are called "Heart leaps" and they are said to come from right out of the artists "heart".The composer gives the artist a free hand and the artist improvises the basic tune provided to his heart's content.Hence, In such cases only a vague outline can be provided .

(2) Some o f the pieces in the middle of some song backgrounds are interlinked with other instruments and in such cases sometimes only a vague outline can be notated.This is a more common phenomenon in new songs and we can expect the numbers to go up in the future.

BASIC NOTE METHODOLOGY

A basic note will look like this :-//S.../R...//G.../M...// which is Saa ree gaa maa in the carnatic system .
This is "Aadi talam" or 4/4 in western music terminology.

Half notes will be denoted with an underline .Eg: //S.../R...//G.../M...//(Re is underlined and it is a Half note .)

Base notes or exceptionally high notes will be in small letters .Eg;//S.../r.....//G.../M...//(Ree here is either a base note or a high note)

Touch notes or "gamakas" (ornaments) will be denoted in brackets.Eg;//(PNPM).M./(DPPM).R.//(NSRP).N./S...//

INDICATIONS FOR FLUTES TO BE USED

A number will be notated in brackets before the Beat/Talam starts.

For example: (5) Base //N.N./S.S./S.S./R.R.//

The Number (5) indicates that the piece should be played in a 6 holed Hindustani Base Flute ie,in a sruthi Five (carnatic) or G Bass in in the western scale .

Simalarily (5) Middle indicates that the piece should be played in a 6 holed Hindustani Middle Flute ie,in a sruthi Five (carnatic) or G Bass in in the western scale .

In certain cases two flutes of the same ocvatve will (a Bass and a Middle octave flute ) are used simultaneously.In such cases the symbolwill be (5) Bass + (5) Middle //S.../P.../S.../P...//

I believe that once the notation system is understood then the visitor will be able to play them .

Only time will tell .