North Indian Hindusthani flutes usually have six holes.
The method of producing tones:
Lower relatively bass octave - mandra saptakam:
Close all the six holes and blow with less air: mandra pancham = g_.
Close first 5 and half holes and blow with less air: mandra kOmal dhaivat dha_ = g#_.
Close first 5 holes and blow with less air: mandra suddh dhaivat dha_ = a_.
Close first 4 and half holes and blow with less air: mandra kOmal nishAd ni_ = a#_.
Close first 4 holes and blow with less air: mandra suddh nishAd ni_ = b_.
From here middle octave - madhya saptakam
Close first three holes o-o-o = shadj or c.
Close first 2 and half holes o-o+half of third = kOmal rishabh or c# ( or Db).
Close first two holes o-o : suddh ri = d.
Close first one and half holes: kOmal gandhAr = d#.
Close first hole o : suddh gandhAr = e.
Close first hole half only : suddh madhyam ma = f.
Open all the holes : tIvr madhyam ma = f#.
Close all the six holes (if necessary open the first hole) and blow slightly hard: pancam pa = g.
Close first 5 and half holes blow slightly hard: kOmal dhaivat dha = g#.
Close first 5 holes and blow slightly hard: suddh dhaivat dha = a.
Close first 4 and half holes, and blow slightly hard: kOmal nishAd ni = a#.
Close first 4 holes and blow slightly hard: suddh nishAd ni = b.
There is no tone for closing 3 and half holes.
Upper Octave (relatively treble) or tAr saptak:
Close first 3 holes and blow slightly hard: tAr shadj sa' = c'.
Close first 2 and half holes and blow slightly hard: tAr kOmal ri' = c#'.
Close first 2 holes and blow slightly hard: tAr suddh ri' = d'.
Close first 1 and half holes and blow slightly hard : tar kOmal gandhAr ga' = d#'.
Close first hole and blow slightly hard : tAr suddh gandhAR ga' = e'.
Close first hole only half and blow slightly hard: tAr suddh madhyam ma' = f'.
Open all the holes and blow slightly hard: tAr tIvr madhyam ma~' = f#'.
Close all the six holes and blow hard (if necessary open the first hole): tAr pancam pa' = g'.
Close first 5 and half holes and blow hard (If necessary close first two and half holes and the last two holes) : tAR KOmal dhaivat dha~' = g#".
(Somewhat difficult, but practice makes us perfect).
Close first two and last two holes with middle two holes open and blow very hard without sounding very harsh: tAr suddh dhaivat dha' = a'.
Note: I have not seen anybody who can play all the three 12 bass + 12 middle + 12 top or treble octaves on flute. Presumably it is not possible.
What we get on a Hindusthani flute with no special mechanical additions is:
lower octave -mandra saptak = pa_ (g_) to suddh ni_ (b_).
middle octave madhya saptak = sa (c) to ni (b).
treble or top octave -tAr saptak = sa' (c') to tar suddh dhaivat dha' = a'.
Difference between North Indian and South Indian flutes: In SI flutes sa or c = close first two holes.
In NI flutes sa or c = close first three holes.
ybrao a donkey's observations: By closing first three holes we are getting rAg yaman. Suppose we close only first two holes and call it 'sa', the whole thing will change and we get 'khamAj'. (South Indian equivalent 'hari kAmbHoji'. In North India, music flute beginners, I believe are taught the tune rAg yaman, with no half notes (closing half holes). In South India, flute beginners are taught hari kAmbhOji or khamaj ThATh.
We can regard any hole first one closing, first one and half closing or first two closing or first two and half closing or first three close (so on) as sa or c. Then tunes (rAgas) will not be same. You will get different tunes such as Hindusthani kApI. A professional flutist needs such changing skills. It requires lot of mathematical skill and retention (dhAraNa). Beginners, we may not have.
No comments:
Post a Comment