AUDIO BASICS FOR CARNATIC MUSICIANS

BHADRAM KARNEBHIH SHRUNUYAAMA DEVAAH!

Oh Gods, May we hear only the good with our ears!    

This post, addressed at (Carnatic) musicians, is a sequel to  earlier blogs of mine
 (http://veeraam.blogspot.com/2016/09/carnatic-music-audio-engineering-for.html AND http://veeraam.blogspot.com/2016/10/carnatic-music-additional-pointers.html) for amateur audio engineers who man systems for Carnatic music and Bharatanatyam programs.  Since no one starts a concert with a prayer that includes the line "Maa vidvishavahai (let us not wrangle)," I thought it worthwhile to record some lessons I have gleaned from over three decades at the mixer board, at least for the benefit of those musicians who  may want to improve matters.  My post is a set of requests/suggestions with some explanations on why and for what. 

     The quality and fidelity of the sound that is heard in a hall depends not only on the audio systems, the hall acoustics, and those managing the audio, but even more importantly on the musicians and their cooperation with those managing the audio. While it is  certainly desirable that musicians learn at least the rudiments of audio, the unfortunate reality is that there are but very few (Indian) musicians who understand them, and their  partial knowledge often makes things worse. (Sorry for my being blunt, but it is a comment that most discerning listeners and knowledgeable technical people will agree with.) Also, even if they were experts in audio,  there is no way a set of people sitting on stage can manage the sound quality heard in the hall since that is not necessarily what they hear on stage. 

1. Please plan your day so that sound checks can be done and adjustments made at least 20 minutes before the allotted start time.  Nothing annoys your (paying) audience more than being made to wait for inordinate amounts of time outside a concert hall for the fault of organizers and musicians not doing what should be obvious to all.  Be also considerate of the fact that your audience may include quite a few who cannot stand for extended periods of time.  (We honestly can't wait for the day when Indian programs will start punctually at announced times with the audience already seated.)

2. Please maintain, as much as you can, a constant distance from the microphone.  Understand that getting closer to the mic increases the bass of your voice while being too far way makes you sound hollow and not clear.  Occasionally at least pay attention to how you sound.  If you see that your volume has dropped down, check to see if you have moved too far away from the mic and readjust your position.  The audio guys can compensate with an increased gain, but that is more risky in terms of feedback etc.  If the audio people are in your line of sight, at least occasionally look towards them in case they want to alert you that you need to move closer.

3. Please do not keep your sruti box volume too loud as to drown everything.  Audiences find it annoying.  It also makes any adjustments to the sound very hard and nearly impossible.

4. Compared to what passes in India, Western audiences, including NRIs, like to hear classical music at a comparatively lower volume, being used as they are to the low ambient noise environment and overall lower volumes even in normal conversations that usually obtain in the West.  So, it is a good idea to leave the level of volume heard in the hall to the audio people and not to ask them to raise the master volume.  In addition to that, when volume levels in the hall are set too high, the same sound waves get reflected on the walls multiple times without adequate attenuation with the result that the audience hears multiple versions resulting in much degraded quality of sound. (Someday, organizations like CMANA may have their own halls designed with good acoustics and sound absorbing walls, but we just don't have that luxury now as we operate in whatever is available.)

5. With typical organizations not having a permanent venue of their own and with obvious cost constraints, they do not run separate systems for the hall and for the monitor.  So, kindly be judicious in making requests to the audio folk in increasing your volume or making repeated adjustments of bass and treble etc since these alter the sound not only as you hear it on the stage but in the hall itself.  Also, don't throw jargon like "give me more reverb" without knowing what it is all about and how it will really affect for different types of hall sizes, configurations, reflection properties, etc.  You are also better off if these advanced controls are not employed by non-experts without formal training, as I have seen in many performances that could have been much better had they been done without an improperly set reverb. (If you are worried about recording, don't worry; a good studio or technician should know how to add reverb during post-processing.  You could have performed in a dingy school library, but we can make it sound like you performed in a grand theater.)

6. It is important that you hear yourself and your accompanists well, and reasonable audio people do recognize the importance of that.  Insist on a stage monitor, and make sure that it is set at a level that you are comfortable and yet  does not cause problems for the feed to the hall.  With regard to the latter, please understand that there is considerable risk in increasing the monitor volume in that the sound emanating from them can create a feedback effect.  At higher volumes of the monitor, the monitor sounds get fed back into the microphones, get re-amplified again, and create both a distortion due to multiple signals and even more importantly the possibility of those terrible squeaks from an overload.  Just making sure of that and not being concerned about the hall related issues will also help you concentrate more on your music.

7. Please avoid injecting your own devices like contact microphones,  amplifiers etc into the system.   The small amps used typically on stage by individual players do not have the high fidelity needed for a concert hall. Similarly, each microphone has  response characteristics of its own and reshapes the sound offered to it.  When these characteristics are not matched to the desired frequency responses appropriate to your instrument, what results is often extremely sub-optimal.  When amplified, the imperfection sounds even worse.  Particularly, for various Carnatic instruments, where the materials from which they are made accommodate necessary attenuation of the frequencies generated to create continuity (particularly with respect to gamakam, nadam, etc.), these mismatches make you sound unnecessarily worse while even a moderately good non-contact microphone would do much better.  But, if you insist on using a contact microphone, please buy a high end one suited to your frequency range, test it well before purchase, record some of your own music and listen to it, and, furthermore, make sure that it is properly maintained and frequently serviced professionally.  As for using your own amplifiers, consider that it may appear rude towards your own team mates on the stage, and sometimes when more than one has it, it even leads to a competition in cacophony.  In addition to all the above, you cause the risk of a system failure if your own device happens to be defective or not to have the right impedance etc.

8. The time to let the organizer know of any special needs like an adapter for instance is not five minutes before the concert but a few days ahead of time.  Sometimes even sourcing the right piece takes time.

9. Good audio people recognize that it is your concert and you want to sound the best and will work with you to achieve the best results.  Establish some sign language with them so that if you think something is not okay (e.g., the mrdangam left is creating too much of a boom) you can let them know in an understandable way.

Someday, I am sure Indian communities and organizations as well as our audiences will evolve to a point where you can have the kind of quality obtaining in Broadway or great concert halls of the world in our programs too.  We realize that we are imposing on you various sub-optimal systems of our own and are highly appreciative of your understanding and cooperation.   But, let us also remember that compared to the Golden Age of Ariyakkudi and others, today's systems (including the ones used by many Indian organizations) are much more advanced and sophisticated and aiding the musician a lot more.  (The problem often may  be too many choices and controls, really.)   In any case, together, let us make the best of what we have even as we constantly improve.  That is the spirit underlying this blog, and do pardon me if you find anything offensive or strongly worded.

Your informed comments and suggestions to improve this piece are most welcome.
======
Dr. V. Ramaswami is a former President and Secretary of CMANA, the Carnatic Music Association of North America.  He is also a composer with three setss of CD "Swarabharanam" and "Sadaa Namaami" performed to by Sri Sikkil Gurucharan, the former with V. Sanjeev and J. Vaidyanathan, and the latter two with Sayee Rakshit and K.V.Prasad.  He is thankful to the great audio/video scientists who invented many of the systems of today and with whom he has had the privilege to work in addition to the experience as a volunteer doing audio.

Saint Thyagaraja as a Poet

 

    “A man should hear a little music, read a little poetry, and see a fine picture every day of his life, in order that worldly cares may not obliterate the sense of the beautiful, which God has implanted in the human soul,” so said Goethe.  For those blessed with an ability to enjoy Carnatic music, Saint Thyagaraja’s compositions give an easy opportunity to engage in all these three recommended activities in one shot through active listening with understanding alone.

  Much has been written on Saint Thyagaraja, the most venerated composer of Carnatic music, with most authors emphasizing mainly the musical and devotional aspects of his work.  However, many of the Saint’s compositions also constitute poetry of the finest kind, exhibiting a high level of scholarship, literary merit, imagination, and imagery.  They abound also in beautiful rhymes, alliterations, and onomatopoeia.  Sri T.S. Parthasarathy is one of the few scholars to have taken a special effort, albeit in a very small section, to mention this aspect of Saint Thyagaraja, and here is a translation of a passage from his book in Tamil (“Srī Thyāgarāja kīrthanaigal,” Higginbothoms, 1967):

“Saint Thyagaraja, who composed nearly 675 compositions, shined also as a poet and creator of many musical dramas.   Among Carnatic composers, with the exception of Kshetragna, Swami Thyagaraja is the only one who deserves to be noted as a poet.   His compositions appear like poems set to tunes.”

Even though T.S. Elliot may assert, “Genuine poetry can communicate before it is understood” and although that statement is verily true for Thyagaraja kritis, we must, however, acknowledge that comprehension does add immeasurably to both communication and enjoyment.   So, please treat this as an invitation to move on to a higher level as a connoisseur if you are not already there.

     If you agree with Simonides of Ceos,  who described poetry as “painting with the gift of speech,” then Thyagaraja was indeed a deft painter - and especially so in describing  Rama.  Even his simple words like “Lāvanya rāma, ati lāvanya rāma” captivate us – one must especially listen to the beautiful way Sri D.K. Jayaraman used to sing this line.  The phrases Thyagaraja has picked to describe Rama, not only in that composition but elsewhere, such as “dina mani vamsa tilaka lāvanya” are particularly imaginative.  Survya vamsa, the lineage of Rama is, by itself, illustrious due to his ancestors like Ikshvaku, Bhagiratha, Raghu, Harischandra, and many others; note the specific choice dina mani (jewel of the day) for surya (the sun).  According to Thyagaraja, even to the adornment of the very crescent of that lineage, Rama adds even more glamor!  A special favorite of mine is the kriti “Sundarataradēham” (one with a handsome body) in Pantuvarāli and particularly its highly poetic anupallavi,  “kuntaratanamāpta kumuda sasāngam, kandarpa satakōti kāntimatī nishkalangam,” where Rama is described as one with teeth resembling beautiful jasmine buds, who makes his dear ones bloom as the moon does of the water-lily, and pure and lustrous like millions of Cupids rolled into one.  Yet another kriti demonstrating the prowess of Thyagaraja as a poet and also as a Sanskrit scholar is the one in Sāvēri, “Rāmam bhajēham;” the first stanza of its charanam goes as,

   “Sundaramukhamaravindanayanam,

   Agabrnda parvata purandaram,
   Anakasananandananutam ānanda jaladhi mahi

  Brnda   subhūshana vandita charitam”

(With a beautiful countenance and lotus like eyes; like an Indra in smashing mountains of sins; an ocean of happiness; worshipped by great sages like Sanandana and even by Shiva adorned with serpents.)  Imagine the clear and detailed picture in Thyagaraja’s mind that should have empowered him to make such a beautiful canvas of words, not only in this kriti, but in so many others.  A favorite set of lines in Telugu with beautiful alliterations noted by Sri T.S. Parthasarathy is also a favorite of mine and is from “Vandanamu Raghunandanā” in Sahānā:

“Sritamā nātō vātamā ne bhēdamā idi mōdamā

Srīrāmā hruchchāramā brovabāramā rāyabāramā rāmā”

Many of Thyagaraja’s compositions are filled with incredibly imaginative conversations with his Lord like the one above asking, “Oh one who gives wealth, is this a debate with me? Are you and I different? Does this give you pleasure? Oh, the one residing in the heart of Sita, am I a burden to you?  Do I have to send you a messenger?”  He also creates many an imagery that form some of the finest exercises in virtual reality to a discerning and imaginative listener, through phrases describing Rama such as “janakajā shringāra jalaja bhrngā” – the honey bee that hovers around the lovely lotus born to King Janaka - (in his composition “kshīrasāgara vihārā” best heard from Sri Balamuralikrishna) - and “srī nārada nāda sarasīruha bhrnga shubhānga” – the honey bee that hovers around the lotus  naada (tonal sound) of Sri Narada’s lute in his kriti “Sree Nāradanāda” (best heard from Sri Semmangudi Srinivasaier).  In fact, these two kritis are highly notable for the mellifluous words and phrases specifically chosen by the composer all through.

    The king of mellifluousness was equally capable of other types of usage of the language as we see in some other compositions.  Thus, if one listens to the words in the kriti “Sarasasāmadāna,” one experiences an entirely different Thyagaraja, now picking harder consonants appropriate to describe a valorous king who will not hesitate to escalate force as needed.  The imagery he can create also does not stop at the beautiful and can transgress into the most morbid, as for example in the descripton “prānamulēnivāniki bhangāru pāku jūtti, ani vajra bhūshanamuramandu petturīti” in the kriti “Bhakthibhikshamīyavē” wherein he asserts that without devotion, the ability to give great discourses on religion is only equal to a gold head gear and diamond necklace on the chest adorned on a corpse.

     If you were touched by the self-deprecation and humility of the great poet Milton as exemplified in his sonnet, “When I consider how my light is spent,” be assured that there are many compositions of even the self assured Thyagaraja that will touch your heart even more.  An example is the kriti “Entuku pethalā” where the same poet who eloquently demonstrates his grip on philosophy and devotion in “Dvaitamu sukhamā, advaitamu sukhamā” grieves for the grant of wisdom by his Lord – despite his knowing the scriptures (vēda sāstra tatvārtamu telisi) and knowing the mystery of tones and sound (nāda vidyā marmambulu telisi).  Yet, he is not conceited and cries that he knows not the right path in teliyalēru rāmā bhaktimārgamu.

    Among poets, those who can glorify the simplest pleasures of life that most are given to enjoy and bring back in  our‘mind’s eye’ some of the precious moments of their own past joys are even more special.  They are the literary equivalent of the Norman Rockwells who can make one marvel at a canvas of even simple scenes.   Thyagaraja is one of them.  In that regard, a favorite composition for me is “Srī rāma jaya rāma” in Yadukulakambōji.  Musically, it is one of the finest (the best rendition I have heard is by Sri T.K. Govinda Rao in the style of his own guru Musiri Subrahmanya Iyer).  In this, Thyagaraja asks what all penance did various people, starting all the way from Kousalya and Dasaratha to Sita, do to enjoy Rama in various ways. (I can’t but wonder if that is what inspired Papanasam Sivan’s ‘Enna tavam cheitanai.’)  Each couplet in it is a gem, and let me cite just a pair.  Ask yourself what dad, when hearing the lines “Dasaratudi srīrāma rā rāyini piluvamuni, tapamēmi jēseno teliyā” (what penance did Dasarata do to be able to beseech you ‘Come, come, Sri Rama’),  will fail to be reminded of the first time he called his little toddler to walk up to him?  Or who will fail to recall his own joy at the wedding of his daughter, when listening to the lines “Tana tanaya nosaki kanulāra kanajanakundu, tapamēmi jēsenō teliyā” (I don’t know what penance Janaka did to have the pleasure of seeing his daughter’s hand being taken by Rama)?  If words can do a dance, Thyagaraja’s compositions indeed do and display all types of human emotions without any visual aid, just through words and sound.

    I will conclude this brief foray into Saint Thyagaraja’s poetry by recalling some lines from his kriti “Paripālaya” in Rītigowla.  What does a mendicant like Thyagaraja, with no possessions other than his Lord’s idol, have to offer to his Lord?  The poignancy of this poem is also filled with so much imagination and imagery all through.  Here are some example lines: “tanuvē nīkuvaina sadanamoura, raghunātha” (may my very body be a seat for you); (“harināma smaranambulu viruloura raghunātha” (may my utterances of the name of Hari be flowers for you); “nē jēyusu pūjaphalamu bhōjanamavu raghunāthā” (the fruits of my prayers are my offerings to you).  Everytime, a priest or a devotee creates a decoration with those simple things like flowers and fruits, I cannot but be reminded of this wonderful poem that probably was intended to reinforce in our own minds the great teaching of the Lord in Bhagavad Gita that all He desires from his devotees are simple things like flowers, fruits, and holy water, and most importantly total devotion.  Saint Thyagaraja was not just a poet, but a poet inspired by his deep devotion and pouring out in simple words the highest of truths in a way they are woven into the best of poetry.

=========

This article was written for the 2017 souvenir of the Indian Fine Arts Association of San Diego.  Dr. V. Ramaswami is a past President of the Carnatic Music Association of North America (CMANA) and the author of the book, “Innovation by India for India, the Need and the Challenge.”  A set of ten compositions of his in Sanskrit, Hindi and Tamil, rendered as a collection called “Swaraabharanam” by Sri Sikkil Gurucharan, Sri V. Sanjeev, and Sri J. Vaidyanathan, is being released.  All proceeds of that project are dedicated to the support of Kanavagam, an orphanage in Tamilnadu for destitute children; kindly support this charity.

--> -->