Sitar

[learnin to learn]

how long does it take to tune a sitar? it takes me about 3 minutes to tune my banjo, and about 4minutes to tune my fiddle. but dang that is only tunining 4 or 5 strings!

[Queso]

how long does it take to tune a sitar? it takes me about 3 minutes to tune my banjo, and about 4minutes to tune my fiddle. but dang that is only tunining 4 or 5 strings!

 

considering I have to use a piano to tune the strings 'cause I can't do it exact by ear, about 10 minutes.

[Turtle]

After reading that entire page on wiki,

 

basically,

is a Raga a Scale?

I don't think so, but it uses scales. I still have to reread that several times myself. I recommend following the links from the Raga article like this one on Swara

And pluck your funky gord strings while you do so you start gettin' the vibe of it. If we come up with some funky duck pluck you're gonna have to be able to finger it. No frets on the drone strings , right? Just rythmic notation enough without notes for them? Well, collaboration is gruelling. I need a shot o' juice. :evil:

 

PS I read there are over a thousand different tuning schemes.

[Tarantism]

im sure you guys have already seen this, but in case you havent...here is a link to the Wiki page for Raga

 

Raga are the melodic modes used in Indian classical music.

[Queso]

Yeah, I'm tuning the drone strings to C

and There are no frets, just strings.

 

then from the top of the neck to the bottom, i tune G C G C F

[Turtle]

Yeah, I'm tuning the drone strings to C

and There are no frets, just strings.

 

Ok. Here we go with an attempt at a Katabatak rhythm. Tarantism has been tutoring me on musical time, which I have a fair intellectual understanding of but little intuition for at all.

So, on the drone strings of the Sitar (or any stringed instrument) assume 8 beats per measure. For each measure, the strumming rhythm starts at the beginning with the remaining time at rest. Now strum the following pattern of 8 measures: 1:8:3:8:5:8:7:8. Rpeat. Voila...a drone!?

Don't hesitate to tell me I'm way off on this; after all you guys are the musicians.:lol:

[Tarantism]

8/8?

[Turtle]

8/8?

 

Yes...OK:hyper: Making each "strum" an eighth note then?:lol: :cup: :doh:

[Tarantism]

yeah, but is that what you meant? i could have misinterprited what you said, of course.

 

In simple time signatures, each beat has the value of an undotted note.

 

the upper number indicates how many beats there are in a bar or measure;

the lower number indicates the note value which represents ONE beat (the "beat unit").

[Turtle]

yeah, but is that what you meant? i could have misinterprited what you said, of course.

There you have it you see; I didn't know what I meant at all. Clearly you do, which is what I hoped for.

Have you tried to play it then? :lol:

[Tarantism]

But, the only one that I really play is the last one. (Like a lead string)

 

though i have never touched a sitar in my life (unfortunitley), based on this statement i would suggest that you play the Katabatak Rythm on the "lead" string, not the drone strings.

 

also, at least on the acoustic thats sitting on my lap, you can also play {1:3:3:3:5:3:2:3} and make the same notes. the subtituted numbers are played one string up (or down, literally). i dont know if that fits katabatak, but its just a thought.

 

also, in my opinion, {1:3:3:3:4:3:6:3} sounds a little bit better, at least it sounds more indian so it is my assumption that i could probably sound better on a Sitar. thats just my opinion though, disregard if you so choose.

 

:confused:

[Turtle]

also, in my opinion, {1:3:3:3:4:3:6:3} sounds a little bit better, at least it sounds more indian so it is my assumption that i could probably sound better on a Sitar. thats just my opinion though, disregard if you so choose.

:hyper:

While it may sound better, it's not katabataks anymore when you change it.

The pattern I suggested is just how many notes played per measure, not what note(s). 1:8:3:8:5:8:7:8 1 note in the first measure, 8 notes in the second measure, 3 in the third, 5 in the fourth, 8 in the fifth, 7 notes in the sixth measure, 8 in the eighth....then repeat from the beginning.:confused:

[Tarantism]

ah, i see i misunderstood. my mistake. lemmie play with that for a few and get back to ya.

[Queso]

While it may sound better, it's not katabataks anymore when you change it.

The pattern I suggested is just how many notes played per measure, not what note(s). 1:8:3:8:5:8:7:8 1 note in the first measure, 8 notes in the second measure, 3 in the third, 5 in the fourth, 8 in the fifth, 7 notes in the sixth measure, 8 in the eighth....then repeat from the beginning.:shrug:

 

1 note with the freedom of being played at any frequency @ any time within the first bar.

 

Then 8 notes, still free but to maintain the rhythm i would suggest on every downbeat then

 

unleash with 3 spacey notes, free to be anywhere any time

 

and so on.

 

Where do scales come into play with katabatak?

What about dynamics?

 

Tempo and energetic output.

 

The rhythm is definitely katabatak, the structure...

 

but the colors?

what about the colors?

 

Are the colors other instruments? other tracks? other effects? other chairs?

[Turtle]

The rhythm is definitely katabatak, the structure...

 

but the colors?

what about the colors?

 

Are the colors other instruments? other tracks? other effects? other chairs?

 

The numbers in the pattern I gave (the base nine katabatak pattern of cubes) 1:8:3:8:5:8:7:8 represent the colors, or the colors represent them.

The color version is black: violet: orange: violet: greeen: violet: indigo: violet.

As I have said, I'm not a musician so I don't know about other chairs etc.. All I have is the number/color patterns and the idea that they may somehow make music as appealing to the ear as the drawings are to the eye. I could be mistaken.:shrug: :eek2:

[Queso]

You are right.

 

What about the absolute? Math is a universal truth abiding by physical laws.

 

Where are my rules? Can I play freely within those patterns?

 

What are the laws? The instrument is law, the frequencies,

but the motion?