Vidya D Apps

Carnatic Music is a form of IndianClassicalMusic that has its origins in the southern states of Indiathatinclude Tamil Nadu, Andra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala. Themusicis founded on the seven notes Sa, Re, Ga, Ma, Pa, Da, Ne andisstructured into Ragas and Thalams. A ragam is a combinationofcertain notes that have a certain pitch which produce auniquemelody and strike a certain mood. A thalam on the other handis abeat or a frequency in which the notes need to be sung.Breathcontrol as in any form of music helps to sustain a note inCarnaticMusic as well. Carnatic Music is taught in progressivestagesstarting from Salai Varisai, Janta Varisai, AlankaraVarisai,Geetham, Varnam and Keerthanam.Varisai means a sequence or a series. Sarali Varisai bringsthebasics of Carnatic Music to life with its simple combinationofnotes that ascend, descend, loop, branch and repeat. JantaVarisaicreates pairing of notes that increases the challenge ofsingingthe note combination leaving the singer breathless sometimeswhichopens up the need for effective breath control. The morebreath asinger can hold in her belly, the better she will be abletosustain the length of the notes. Both Sarali and Janta Varisaiarebased on simple eight count beats called the Adi Thalam.AlankaraVairsai introduces the concept of different thalams orbeats. Inthis series the singer needs to render the notes todifferentbeats. The challenge increases but so does the senseofaccomplishment. Geethams are short songs that give the singeranopportunity to combine the techniques she learned in Sarali,Jantaand Alankara Varisais, and take the next step which is tosingsongs based on a certain raga and set to a specific thalam.Thepoint to note here is that most Geethams are based on a singleragaand are short songs which keep this step simple andenjoyable.Start from Sarali Varisai and progress to Janta Varisai,AlankaraVarisai and Geetham.