Musical Instruments
Chenda
Chenda, basically a drum, is a double headed cylindrical percussion and temple instrument which has its origin from the state of Kerala. It produces a loud and rigid sound and used in temples and other cultural festivals. It is also popular in Tamil Nadu and Coastal Karnataka. Chenda is an essential accompaniment and an Anavadha Vadya or Percussion Instrument. Its Sanskrit name is Dindimam. Construction A Chenda has two sides on which a leather membrane is stretched over a hollow cylindrical body. The two sides are known as “Valam Thala” – Right head and “Edam Thala” – Left head. Usually one or two layers of Cow’s Skin is used on the left head. The right head will have five or seven layers of skin and produces the “Bass” sound. The skin...
Instrumental Music – Nadaswaram and Vocal
Here is an interesting Carnatic Classical Concert featuring Husband-Wife Duo on Nadaswaram and Shri T M Krishna on Vocals. This performance was at St. Andrew’s Auditorium in Bandra, Mumbai in which other prominent artists also took part. It is a special concert known as Aikya, curated by First Edition Arts. This is the very first collaboration between TM Krishna and Nadaswara Vidwans Sheik Mahaboob Subhani and wife Smt. Kaleeshabi Mahaboob. Artists: Vocal: Shri T.M Krishna Nadaswaram: Sheik Mahaboob Subhani and Smt. Kaleeshabi Mahaboob Violin: Akkarai Subhalakshmi Mridangam: Praveen Sparsh Ganjira: BS Purushotham Song: Jagadodharana in Kapi Ragam The Husband and Wife were awarded Padma Shri on the Republic Day in 2020. TM Krishna Shri TM Krishna (Thodur Madabusi Krishna is an Indian ...
Instrumental Music – Nadaswaram and Thavil
This is a concert with Nadaswaram and Thavil as the main instruments. Usually these types of concerts are known as Nadaswaram Kacheri. Featured are two prominent artists Valayapatti A.R Subramaniam on Thavil and Thiruvizha Jayashankar on Nadaswaram. The first song is famous “Vathapi Ganapathim Bhaje” in the Hamsadhwani Ragam, rendered in Adi Talam. Thiruvizha Jayashankar Shri Thiruvizha Jayashankar, born in 1940 is a well known classical musician and Nadaswaram Maestro from Thiruvizha in the Alleppey district of Kerala. He is the son of Thiruvizha Raghava Panicker and grand son of Thiruvizha Sanku Panicker who where Nadaswaram Maestros. He had his preliminary lessons taught by his grand father and advanced training from his father. Jayashankar is a Diploma holder in Music from ...
Thavil
Thavil or Tavil is a hand percussion instrument. It is a barrel shaped drum, having leather membranes stretched on both the open ends. Thavil is mostly used in Temples and other religious festivals along with Nadaswaram. Thavil is used to accompany Nadaswaram on Carnatic Music, Folk and other genre of music. Construction The Thavil is made out of a cylindrical shell which is hollowed out of a solid block of wood. Usually the wood of Jack Fruit tree is used to make the hollow barrel shaped body. The skin (leather) of water buffalo (on the right side) and goat (on the left side) are stretched across the open sides of the shell. Hemp hoops are used to attach and stretch the skins on the shell. The right side of the Thavil is larger in diameter than the left side. The skin on the right side of...
Nadaswaram
Nadaswaram is a double reed, wind instrument having its origin from South India. It is a part of the family of musical instruments known as Mangala Vadyam. Mangala means “Auspecious” and Vadyam means “Instrument”. Nadaswaram finds an important place in the South Indian Classical Music and widely used in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. It resembles the North Indian Shehnai but it is much longer than Shehnai. It is also one of the world’s loudest non-brass instruments. Nadaswarm is usually paired with Tavil a double headed Drum Instrument. Structure The three main parts of Nadaswaram are Kuzhal, Thimiru and Anasu. Kuzhal or a long Tube with seven finger holes is the important part. Holes are drilled at equal intervals. The tip of the instrument...
Instrumental Music – Violin and Digital
Here is an interesting piece, performance by Mahesh-Nandini duo on Violin and iPad. Mahesh Raghavan as many of you know is a Post Graduate (MSc) in Digital Music Composition and Performance from the University of Edinburgh in UK. He did his Bachelors degree in Audio Production from the Dubai campus of SAE Institute. In 2014, he started his YouTube Channel in 2014 and since then he started gaining popularity. He plays Carnatic Music on the iPad with an application named GeoShred. Nandini Shankar is the grand daughter of Dr. N Rajam, daughter of Smt. Sangeetha Shankar and younger sister of Ragini Shankar – the Three Generation Violinists. She performs Hindustani Classical Music on Violin. She has completed her Graduation in Commerce and is a qualified Indian Chartered Accountant (ICA) ...
Instrumental Music – Fusion
Presenting a highly energetic and enjoyable fusion concert. Remember Shakthi – The band led by John McLaughlin (Guitar), U Srinivas (Mandolin), Zakir Hussain (Tabla), V Selvaganesh (Ghatam), S Mahadevan (Vocals). This is their live performance in Vienna. John McLaughlin is a world famous English Guitarist, bandleader, and composer. He is a pioneer of jazz fusion. Shankar Mahadevan is an Indian Singer and Composer who is famous for his Breathless Song. V Selvaganesh is an Indian Percussionist mainly playing Ganjira and Tabla. Ustad Zakir Hussain and U Srinivas do not need any introduction. Together the team have done many performances in the brand name Remember Shakti. So, let us enjoy the fusion concert. Video and Picture used for illustration only – Credit: Mezzo/Ktroxie 00
Jazz Drums
The Jazz Drum Set includes different types of Drums and Cymbals in the Jazz music genre. Jazz’s origin is in the African-American communities in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The period in 1920 and 1930s Jazz Music style gained rapid popularity and known as the Jazz Age. A Jazz Drum set is also known as Drum Kit, Trap Set or Drums. The Drums, Cymbals and other Percussion instruments in the set are mounted on stands and played by a single player with Drum Sticks. The player operates the instruments with both hands and pedals operated by feet. The foot pedal controls the Hit-Hat Cymbal and the Beater for Bass Drum. Drums are known as Membranophones and Cymbals are known as Idiophones. A standard Drum Kit normally contains the following. One Snare Drum – Mounted on a sta...
Instrumental Music – Tabla and Flute
Here is one absolutely mesmerising performance by our Ustad Zakir Hussain – Rakesh Chaurasia duo with just Tabla and Flute (Bansuri). Listening to the music with headphones is much advised to fully immerse into and get the ultimate feeling. Ustad Zakir Hussain Ustad Zakir Hussain is the eldest son of Ustad Allah Rakha (1919-2000) who was a maestro on Tabla, specialized in Hindustani Classical Music. Ustad Alla Rakha was mainly responsible for the introduction of Tabla to the Western audience. Zakir Hussain (born in 1951) was a child prodigy who was taught Pakhwaj by his father at the age of 3 years and gave his first concert at the age of seven and started touring at eleven. He has received many awards and accolades from various Indian and Foreign governments and organizations. He re...
Instrumental Music – Classical Fusion
Presenting to you a Classical Fusion of Carnatic Song “Maha Ganapathim”. We have on the stage all prominent artists with their special instruments. Mandolin is played by U. Rajesh, Violin by Late Balabhaskar, Arun Kumar on Drums, Giridhar Udupa on Ghatam and Mohini Dey on Bass Guitar. The concert was staged on the 7th day of 53rd Bengaluru Ganesh Utsava. Balabhaskar (Balabhaskar Chandran) was a famous Violinist, Composer, Musician and promoter of Fusion Music in South India. Born in 1978, he started his professional career at an age of 12 and excelled in his profession until his death in 2018. U. Ramesh is the younger brother of late U Srinivas or the Mandolin Srinivas who is also a great artist. He has performed on various stages with his brother as well as many other famous I...
Guitar
Guitar does not need any introduction but one will always want to know its origin, different types and how to select a good guitar like that. Guitar, classified under Chordophones is also a fretted musical instruments. Like Veena, Sitar, Mandolin etc. it is also played by plucking its strings and the sound normally comes from a resonating hollow body. Guitars normally have six strings but there are guitars having 7, 8 and 12 strings. The strings of Guitar were made of Catgut which is a type of chord made of the natural fiber found in the walls of animal intestine. Usually sheep or goat intestines were used whereas cat intestines were not used despite the name. Around 1940, guitars were started using Nylon strings. Steel strings are commonly used in the modern guitars. Types of Guitars Guit...
Instrumental Music – Mandolin Concert
U Srinivas – Uppalapu Srinivas is well known to many as an Indian Mandolin Player in Carnatic Classical Music. He was a Child Prodigy and used to be called as Mozart of Indian Classical Music. He was also a music composer and well known as Mandolin Srinivas. Born in 1969 at Palakollu in the then, Andhra Pradesh he started with Mandolin at the age of five. U Satyanarayana his father, a Clarinettist, had a Mandolin which Srinivas was very much attracted to and started playing with it. He got a new Mandolin from his father and started training under him. Srinivas got training under Sri Vasu Rao a famous Guitarist, Sri Rudraraju Subbaraju and many others. He had his own style of playing the Mandolin, developed all by himself. He entered the Western Music arena in 1976. Public Appearance ...