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Mridangam Repair and Other Mridangam Aspects
Topic started by Rohan Krishnamurthy (@ pm533-26.dialip.mich.net) on Mon Jul 16 15:47:14 .
As many of you may know, I am a 14 year old mridangist who is a student of Sri. Guruvayur Dorai. I have played extensively throughout the USA and India, for leading artists like N. Ravikiran, "Flute" Ramani, R. Vedavalli, and many more.
Though this is not the first topic of its kind created, I noticed nothing on mridangam has been discussed lately.
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Old responses
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Raju (@ 195.*) on: Thu Jul 22 12:58:33 EDT 2004
Kumar,
I will let you know in detail about it. As far as I know, U K S used copper wires instead of kutchi. It produced stunning nadam because it metalized the sound and the copper pieces were more rigid. But U K S did not use this technique in his mridangam, that is in his concerts because he cosidered it artificial. It ws just his innovation. This is what I heard from him in his interview on TV. I will get you more details - maybe something like what type copper was used and how it was performed. My friend knows a lot about such things. He is not here at the moment. So, WILL LET YOU KNOW SHORTLY.
BTW, how do the Desadi and Desiaksi thalams go ? How many aksharakalam?
Bye.
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Kumaran Ravendradas (@ cach*) on: Fri Jul 23 04:23:50 EDT 20
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Raju (@ 195.*) on: Mon Jul 26 01:56:48 EDT 2004
Kumar,
B is Pitch 7.
C - 1
D - 2
E - 3
F - 4
G - 5
A - 6
B - 7
C - 8
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K.Ravendradas (@ cach*) on: Mon Jul 26 03:07:28 EDT 2004
I have to disagree. I mean the guy who sang for my arangetram, Sangeetha Vidwan Kutralam Shri. Nagarajan(Who sings at 3/4 for dance), my guru, Nathamani Shri. Muthu Sivarajah, and many other i know. All say that B is 3/4. (Because it is lower than C-1).
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Raju (@ 213.*) on: Sat Jul 31 09:42:59 EDT 2004
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K. Ravendradas (@ cach*) on: Mon Aug 2 11:56:26 EDT 2004
Someone give me a briefing on how to put on mridangam heads!
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Raju (@ 213.*) on: Wed Aug 4 07:33:12 EDT 2004
Kumar,
Which part of South India are you from?
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Kumaran Ravendradas (@ cach*) on: Wed Aug 4 09:33:25 EDT 200
Raju,
I am actually a British citizen residing in London. However, i am coming to Chennai on the 17th of August.
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Raju (@ 213.*) on: Thu Aug 5 07:06:32 EDT 2004
Kumar,
From your name, I thought you would be an Indian.
Okay, so has anyone listened to the famous 'Nair' cousins Mavelikara Krishnankutty and Velukutty play. 'TERRIFIC' is my opinion. Krishnankutty is no more. Velukutty is still an active accompanist though he is old.
Well, have you seen the various techniques of Gumki ARUN PRAKASH employs? Superb!
I got the valanthalai, edamthalai and vaar of my mridangam changed in India. (Well, that is practically everything except the wood section)
The wood section is 24 inch but it was initially set to female pitch of F#. The repairer has now set it to D. Well, the nadam is stunning and sharp. The best part of it is how the sound sustains - i.e. upto 4 seconds after a stroke. Now, is this good or bad? About the thoppi, he's just bleached the old one and returned it. Bad Luck.
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Kumaran Ravendradas (@ cach*) on: Thu Aug 5 08:48:34 EDT 200
Raju, My parents both actually come from Sri Lanka.
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Kumaran RAVENDRADAS (@ cach*) on: Fri Aug 6 10:29:53 EDT 200
My mridangams as i said once before are rather big. I have one now which im taking to India which was set to D at almost 28 inches. The others were approximately 24-25 inches in size.
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K. Ravendradas (@ cach*) on: Fri Aug 6 10:33:38 EDT 2004
Raju are you from Madras? If so you may know my mridangam maker. His name is Murugananthan.
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Raju (@ 195.*) on: Sat Aug 7 05:23:51 EDT 2004
Kumar,
I am from Ernakulam in Kerala. I got the mridangam repaired at Sangeeth Mahal Musicals. And my father was the one who got it done.
And 28 inches is MIGHTY BIG!!! How much does it weigh?
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Raju (@ 195.*) on: Sat Aug 7 05:23:56 EDT 2004
Kumar,
I am from Ernakulam in Kerala. I got the mridangam repaired at Sangeeth Mahal Musicals. And my father was the one who got it done.
And 28 inches is MIGHTY BIG!!! How much does it weigh?
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Nick H (UK) (@ nhay*) on: Fri Aug 27 02:02:18
I finally got to see some layers of the karini being applied in a mridangam workshop!
OK; they make it look easy, but I guess brain surgeons make that look easy to. Actually it is obvious that it is not at all easy. I'm sure that many 'trainee' attempts must end up being scraped off again.
It is also very time consuming. each layer is polished with the stone for several minutes, and they told me that it takes 25 to 30 layers.
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Kumaran Ravendradas (@ cach*) on: Fri Aug 27 08:12:31 EDT 20
Nick!!!! Your back! I got back from India recently and my father managed to get some karani from our mridangam maker. He knows how to make the mixture but he is all to aware of the time (3 hours for a low pitched mridangam) and the skill needed to apply it.
Nick i need a crash course on how to change mridangam heads!
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Nick H (UK) (@ nhay*) on: Sat Aug 28 03:20:24 EDT 2004
Kumaran,
It might be worth your while talking to my guruji. He is always keen to get help with the physical labour involved in changing the heads on his mridangams (it really is hard on the hands) and you'd be learning while doing. Not sure of the protocol, as you're someone else's student ...but you could always ask!
India was wonderful, and I'm feeling very inclined to go and live there. Sorry we didn't meet.
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K. Ravendradas (@ cach*) on: Sat Aug 28 05:25:41 EDT 2004
What i have heard of your guruji reminds me certainly of mine. If that is the case he should be willing to let me help or even do something for me.
India was a quick 6 day trip for me. Just to get mridangams really. I went to Sri Lanka so time was short.
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K. Ravendradas (@ cach*) on: Sat Aug 28 11:27:39 EDT 2004
Nick, It was the greatest dissapointment of the summer when news came of the postponement of the kumbabishekam of the Murugan Temple.
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Nick H (UK) (@ nhay*) on: Sat Aug 28 19:29:24 EDT 2004
Kumaran... Too right! I could (and would have been) still be in India!
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K. Ravendradas (@ cach*) on: Wed Sep 1 12:53:22 EDT 2004
Someone tell me what an ideal material as a kutchi replacement would be as i have changed heads on my mridangam and have no kutchi. i was thinking experimenting with some old violin string.
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Nick H (UK) (@ nhay*) on: Wed Sep 1 17:47:23 EDT 2004
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Kumaran Ravendradas (@ cach*) on: Sun Sep 5 06:29:40 EDT 200
Nick You missed a stunning program yesterday!!! Sharna played out of her skin. The crowd weren't clapping they were cheering!!!!!!
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Nick H (UK) (@ nhay*) on: Sun Sep 12 16:36:44 EDT 2004
Glad to hear it; sorry I missed it!
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K. RAVENDRADAS (@ cach*) on: Mon Sep 13 13:25:09 EDT 2004
Actually, if you are free you can come down and watch us to the same program on friday. Nagapooshini amman temple.
I have found a new way to change sruthi quickly with less power. I have tried copper wire as a kutchi replacement and boy does it work.
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Raju (@ 213.*) on: Mon Sep 13 13:51:14 EDT 2004
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Raju (@ 213.*) on: Mon Sep 13 13:51:41 EDT 2004
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Raju (@ 213.*) on: Mon Sep 13 13:53:10 EDT 2004
With some time to see results, I will give you another replacement for kutchi. Shortly!
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Nick H (UK) (@ nhay*) on: Sun Sep 19 11:16:01 EDT 2004
Kumeran, sorry I missed the program. What kind of copper wire are you using? eg what diameter etc. Do you flatten it at all? Copper is very flexible; I would have thought that something a bit more springy would give good results. Perhaps we could get together one day soon and discuss these experiments.
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Kumaran Ravendradas (@ cach*) on: Mon Sep 20 12:16:10 EDT 20
Yes no problem Nick. Maybe during the navaratri period.
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Kumaran Ravendradas (@ popl*) on: Fri Oct 1 07:40:21 EDT 200
Tightening the vaar of a mridangam! How does one do it????
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Nick H (UK) (@ nhay*) on: Fri Oct 1 08:22:02 EDT 2004
1.Sit on backside on floor.
2. place feet on mridangam above centre line (yes, *feet* !-) ) or as comfortable.
3.Use a hook or tool to pull the 'strand' away from the body. Then get hand around it and tug.
4. Get hook under next strand.
5. Tug on hook as you prevent the last strand loosing it's tension.
6. repeat from 4.
That's how it is done, but showing would be a lot clearer than my description: I'll demonstrate for you any time.
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Nick H (UK) (@ nhay*) on: Fri Oct 1 08:23:24 EDT 2004
I omitted to say that the mridangam should be standing upright on its left end. Obvious probably, but it is hard to know what is obvious with something like this!
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Kumaran Ravendradas (@ popl*) on: Sun Oct 3 14:30:08 EDT 200
*What is your opinion?*
Who do you think is the best mridangist alive today?? Tell us (really it should be me) your views!
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Nick H (UK) (@ nhay*) on: Mon Oct 4 04:47:11 EDT 2004
I'm sure we've been there before!
Anyway; I just couldn't answer that question; it's not just that I don't have nearly enough experience or knowledge, it's also that I don't really like trying to rank people like that.
My very personal favourites, at this moment in time is easier: Trichy Sankaran, Guruvayor Dorai and TVG.
Did you get your vaar tightened?
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-K-umaran (@ popl*) on: Mon Oct 4 09:46:18 EDT 2004
WELL i haven't had a chance to yet. Its a real real race against time considering navaratri is coming up and i have been booked for 7 programs already.
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Kumaran Ravendradas (@ popl*) on: Thu Oct 14 13:34:03 EDT 20
Samolina!
How much does one put on the mridangam and in what shape? Im one that believes the samolina applied should be flat and take up a high surface area on the thoppi. It gives the thoppi reverberating sound which reminds one of Mani Iyer's thoppi! What are your views?
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Nick H (UK) (@ nhay*) on: Thu Oct 14 14:11:56 EDT 2004
It should be round and small! Imagine the skin virbating in 2 dimensions, cut through the centre. The ravai is supposed to make that vibration as even as possible to give true musical note.
There is stuff on the web about acoustics of Indian instruments but I have no understanding of the maths.