Intonation on a non-tunable instrument has its own special problems and challenges. The best moment for a bansuri to get into tune is of course during its making., but even the best made flute can have its problems. If the bamboo used has not been properly seasoned, the flute will slowly season by itself and therefore shrink somewhat over the years. That means that the entire instrument goes up in pitch, although it may remain in tune with itself, or it might go completely of tune. It is often the lowest note Pa that is affected, sounding too low, because the distance between the sixth hole and the end of the flute is far greater than the distance that the other five holes are from each other, and in shrinking the original proportions are lost.
Even when a flute when first played in a shop sounds well tuned, the real test is when it is played against a drone, when inaccuracies of hole placement become much more obvious. Bansuris can be tuned, by making holes bigger or smaller, or moving them altogether to a different place (See chapter 10)
Getting into tune on the bansuri requires s long and meticulous practice taking (for most students) several years. Although the Indian scale system is the same as that used in the west, i.e. the octave divided into twelve semitones, equal temperament is not used. It is the one area of learning that much guidance is needed, firstly from a teacher, then by following a regime of regular listening to recordings of classical music, especially vocal. In that process of continual listening that the ear finally begins to discern exactly what the intonation of notes should be, not just to understand exactly what is Re, Ga, Ma etc, but later as the student goes more into the depth of the music begin to hear the slight differences of a certain note but played or sung in different raags. This brings one the subject of shrutis, the microtonal variants.
The basic principle of 22 shrutis can be explained as follows:
The total number of semitones in an octave is 12. Sa and Pa are considered to be immutable, the other notes have 2 possible versions of each, slightly higher or lower. That makes 20 altogether and adding on Sa and Pa make 22. This is a somewhat simplistic view of shrutis, but for the practising musician any deeper theoretical knowledge is not necessary. In India the world of musicology and that of practical music making run on parallel tracks which meet only on occasions. The student will find that his teacher will rarely talk about shrutis or even acknowledge the fact that there are any significant variations in pitch for a given note. The most that he will probably say is something like ‘Komal Re in this raag should be a little lower, or Ni a little higher etc.’ and sometimes not even in words but indicating pitch to go up or down simply by waving the hand appropriately.
The aspiring bansuri player then, is faced with the task of rendering this subtle tonal world, on an instrument of six fixed holes. There are three methods of altering pitch:
1. to tilt the flute towards or away from the lips,
2. to press the flute closer to the lips or pull it away thus altering the distance from the lips to the blowing hole [or how much the lips cover the blowing hole]
3. by increasing or decreasing the volume.
All these techniques need to be used, often in combination, to place the correct pitch, even from the first note played (for in example when playing the first Sa against the drone, when fading the note the pitch drops and needs to be compensated by employing either technique one or two.
The komal notes, or half notes as they are often called, but are in fact mote like 5% or 10% holes rather than half, require a well-defined prior concept of the pitch plus a steady hand if they are to be played correctly. Every hole on the bansuri has its own particular problems. The 4th hole, for instance, is nearly always too low to produce Ni properly in tune. It happens because Ni, the seventh note of the scale is only a semitone from the tonic Sa, and therefore needs to be much closer to the third hole if it is to be in tune, but this is not possible because it would create an uncomfortably big gap between the fifth and six holes. Therefore compensations have to employed, especially on top Ni. Another feature of most flutes is that the top few notes, from Sa upward to Ma often do not correspond exactly in pitch to the lower octave: More compensatory techniques need to be employed. Although it might not be evident to the observer the bansuri is in continuous compensatory adjustment and movement whilst played, There is no mechanical formula for these adjustments; the ear and mind are the only guide, and eventually , with practice, the adjustments become an automatic and unconscious process.
Mastering the above techniques is of the greatest importance but, even then, there are pitfalls for the inexperienced. When playing with a drone/tampura it is essential to keep a balance in volume between the flute and the drone, especially as the sound from the flute is so close to the ear, and the drone must be some distance away
The imbalance of volume can play tricks with intonation, so that when listening to a recording of one’s playing it can be disconcerting to find that the entire tonality is a little too high or low. Recording one’s practice or performance is an invaluable self-monitoring and should be employed by all students. The tampura, or electronic tempura, needs to be kept as near as possible to the performer and for this (unless it’s battery powered) it is essential for all performers to bring an extension cord with them to any perfomance, or run the risk of being separated from their tampura/drone by some distance, a sure recipe for a besura (out of tune ) performance.
3. EMBOUCHURE
Embouchure, which is the author of tonal quality, is the personal signature of the bansuri, the individuality of the player which can often be recognized by the playing of a single note. It is the part of flute-playing which is, by its nature the most self-taught and developed, and the least susceptible to instruction given by a teacher. The student needs to develop it by his/her own efforts and experimentation. It takes time. Many students, especially these who already play western concert flute, quickly gain control over the mechanics of the bansuri, and play pieces quite comfortably and fluently – but they are disappointed to find that at first, their playing of Indian music doesn’t actually sound like Indian music.
All that can be said here is, that if they know the sound they aspire to (not necessarily of a bansuri, it could be a vocalist) and they strive to reproduce this sound, then eventually through a mysterious and subtle process the embouchure will develop and adapt to produce this sound - but it is a lengthy process and can take years. It is not tho product of mega-practice routines or crash courses.
The main difference between a metal flute and a bansuri, is that the bansuri demands a highly focussed embouchure, to produce the tonal quality, the expression and the intonation particular to indian music. It is a gradual process to develop this sound, and listening to classical music on a regular basis is an essential part of a students practice.
The other reason to develop this kind of blowing is that bamboo by its nature produces a much more breathy sound than metal. Unlike bamboo flutes of some other musical traditions where the sound of breath actually constitutes part of the musical expression, in indian music it is not considered attractive and should be reduced to a minimum. There is a tone-to-noise(breath) ratio which can only be kept to its maximum by powerful blowing, and a concentrated and focused embouchure.This ratio can be controlled or exploited by adjusting the angle of the blowing hole to the mouth. There are basically two kinds of tone available to the player, and the bigger the flute, the more this contrast is evident. They are the open sound and the closed sound. The open sound is produced by turning the blowing hole away from the mouth. The sound produced, is broader, louder and breathier. The closed sound is produced by turning the blowing hole inwards. The sound produced, is softer, sweeter, more focused and much less in volume. Both kinds of sound require very different-and contrasting kinds of embouchure, and both kinds of sound can be employed by the player for expressive purposes. Another reason why the two extremes of embouchure should be part of a players regular practice is that the bansuri, not being a tunable instrument, always needs embouchure adjustments to be made when playing with other musicians, even when the other instruments can be tuned, and even more so when they cannot - as with the harmonium.
Some practice routines for flexibility of embouchure:
1. Practice on different size flutes. The bansuri is not one instrument but many, and by playing daily practice pieces and exercises on different size bansuris will improve both breath control and embouchure flexibility.
2.Play not always in optimum lip position , but sometimes with the instrument tipped away or closer than normal blowing angle. This will make it much more difficult to play effectively, and the students embouchure will need to work hard and make adjustments to produce a good sound.
3. Remember that each hole has an optimum pressure for the best sound. Difficulties often arise during rapid passages from one register to the other when the embouchure is unable to adapt in time. A useful practice to play scales or tanas at speed, going from high notes to low or the other way around . Problems occur when the embouchure is unable to adapt quickly enough , so that when playing a rapid passage from (for instance) Sa to high Ga ,the last note loses quality, or breaks up, or the opposite effect when descending to the lowest note, there is a lack of depth of volume in that note. When practicing these movements the student should play slowly at first paying attention to both breathing and embouchure.
4. The student will find that when playing the half notes, at first there is a considerably less of both volume and tonal quality. There is no specific exercise to correct this; equalization of tone and volume will come of itself in time, with practice. The student will find the particular embouchure needed to produce half notes of quality, and only when this is achieved it will extend to the full range of the instrument. Good tonal quality and volume on the half notes is the key to producing a good overall bansuri sound.
All that can be said here is, that if they know the sound they aspire to (not necessarily of a bansuri, it could be a vocalist) and they strive to reproduce this sound, then eventually through a mysterious and subtle process the embouchure will develop and adapt to produce this sound - but it is a lengthy process and can take years. It is not tho product of mega-practice routines or crash courses.
The main difference between a metal flute and a bansuri, is that the bansuri demands a highly focussed embouchure, to produce the tonal quality, the expression and the intonation particular to indian music. It is a gradual process to develop this sound, and listening to classical music on a regular basis is an essential part of a students practice.
The other reason to develop this kind of blowing is that bamboo by its nature produces a much more breathy sound than metal. Unlike bamboo flutes of some other musical traditions where the sound of breath actually constitutes part of the musical expression, in indian music it is not considered attractive and should be reduced to a minimum. There is a tone-to-noise(breath) ratio which can only be kept to its maximum by powerful blowing, and a concentrated and focused embouchure.This ratio can be controlled or exploited by adjusting the angle of the blowing hole to the mouth. There are basically two kinds of tone available to the player, and the bigger the flute, the more this contrast is evident. They are the open sound and the closed sound. The open sound is produced by turning the blowing hole away from the mouth. The sound produced, is broader, louder and breathier. The closed sound is produced by turning the blowing hole inwards. The sound produced, is softer, sweeter, more focused and much less in volume. Both kinds of sound require very different-and contrasting kinds of embouchure, and both kinds of sound can be employed by the player for expressive purposes. Another reason why the two extremes of embouchure should be part of a players regular practice is that the bansuri, not being a tunable instrument, always needs embouchure adjustments to be made when playing with other musicians, even when the other instruments can be tuned, and even more so when they cannot - as with the harmonium.
Some practice routines for flexibility of embouchure:
1. Practice on different size flutes. The bansuri is not one instrument but many, and by playing daily practice pieces and exercises on different size bansuris will improve both breath control and embouchure flexibility.
2.Play not always in optimum lip position , but sometimes with the instrument tipped away or closer than normal blowing angle. This will make it much more difficult to play effectively, and the students embouchure will need to work hard and make adjustments to produce a good sound.
3. Remember that each hole has an optimum pressure for the best sound. Difficulties often arise during rapid passages from one register to the other when the embouchure is unable to adapt in time. A useful practice to play scales or tanas at speed, going from high notes to low or the other way around . Problems occur when the embouchure is unable to adapt quickly enough , so that when playing a rapid passage from (for instance) Sa to high Ga ,the last note loses quality, or breaks up, or the opposite effect when descending to the lowest note, there is a lack of depth of volume in that note. When practicing these movements the student should play slowly at first paying attention to both breathing and embouchure.
4. The student will find that when playing the half notes, at first there is a considerably less of both volume and tonal quality. There is no specific exercise to correct this; equalization of tone and volume will come of itself in time, with practice. The student will find the particular embouchure needed to produce half notes of quality, and only when this is achieved it will extend to the full range of the instrument. Good tonal quality and volume on the half notes is the key to producing a good overall bansuri sound.
2. BREATHING AND BLOWING
This constitutes the very heart and soul of bansuri playing. Through good blowing and breath control all the essential qualities of the instrument manifest; tonal quality, intonation, dynamics, rasa and bhava (the sentiment and emotional atmosphere of the raag) . Powerful blowing and stamina are must be developed. From a position of strength and power all the essential elements of bansuri playing can be expressed. The bansuri is, after all, only a simple length of bamboo with seven or eight holes, but through the power of breath it can be bought to life, coerced by the intention and will of the player to express all essential qualities. Poor and weak blowing will, only produce a thin, dry one-dimensional sound, unable to project the essentials of the music. Blowing and embouchure need priority attention, as flutes by their nature do not have the tonal contrasts and range of expression of other wind instruments.
Points to consider...
1) Exploiting full lung capacity. It is easy to fall into the habit of breathing only from the top of the lungs. Diaphragm breathing is essential in order to exploit the maximum capacity of the lungs, and also to control the dynamics of playing. Loud, soft, crescendo, diminuendo, the shaping and moulding of musical phrases are expressed and controlled by the movement of the diaphragm.
2) Posture. The basic position for the Indian musician is to sit cross legged, and yet this not an ideal position for wind instrument players. In most other traditions, wind instrument players either sit in a chair or stand, which greatly facilitates the breathing process. But for cultural and practical reasons the bansuri player always sits in cross-legged position during performance, but at other times it does not have to be this way. It is advisable to develop a flexible practice routine, sometimes practlse in the traditional position, other times sitting or standing. When sitting cross-legged, posture can be aided considerably by sitting on a cushion of about 6 cm in height, placed under the buttocks so that the knees reach down to the floor and the back then straightens, allowing the diaphragm to function more efficiently. Another way of sitting on the fleer is to kneel, sitting back on the heel (the position used by Japanese shakuhachi players), then during very long playing sessions to alternate between the two positions.
3) The development of stamina is essential. In all other traditions of flute playing, such as western classical music or jazz, there always times when the flute player can rest while other instruments play; even in carnatic music the flute player is usually accompanied by a violinist, so that he has moments to rest and recover his breath. In the hindustani tradition, the bansuri player is expected play seamlessly for long periods, of an hour or more. This is only possible when a perfect balance of intake and expenditure of energy and breath is established, Much practice of stamina building must be done. One test is to repeat a sequence, which could be , for instance, the first line of a composition followed by a tana and then returning to the line, and repeating the same without a break for up to 20 times, taking breath at the same places, and then observing any deterioration in the quality if one’s playing, increasing breathlessness, etc. If so, this will indicate that the breathing rhythm is not in balance, and more attention will need to be given to where one breathes, and how much is needed to keep the lungs full. In general, one should never continue playing until the lungs are nearly empty. oxygen deprivation will affect both physical and mental processes.
4) A general rule for all wind players of any instrument or tradition is to play long notes. Absolute steadiness, without vibrato is essential. Both low and high notes should be played, both straight and also with crescendo and diminuendo. The latter is particularly important, as in Indian music, notes rarely step suddenly, but tend to fade out and disappear into the background drone or tanpura.
5) Students frequently ask whether yoga breathing exercises are useful, to improve a players breath control, the answer being, not in any evident way. The fundamental difference between yogic breathing and that of a wind player is that in yoga, breathing involves bath the nose and mouth and the underlying principle is of regular breathing in and out. The flute player can only breathe through the mouth, and the rhythm is entirely dictated by musical necessities. However, one great advantage that Indian music has over western classical music is that it is not fixed, and the musician can adopt musical phrases and sequences to suit his/her own capacity. For a teacher writing tanas for students, it is always possible to tailor musical materials with breathing gaps, according to whether the student is a child. or adult.
6) The natural characteristic of the bansuri and all flutes is for the higher notes to have more volume and power and the lower notes to be softer and quieter, and yet the characteristic of the bansuri is to exhibit the greatest beauty and expressiveness when the player can achieve the opposite; to play strong powerful notes in the base, and soft ,delicate notes in the highest register.
Points to consider...
1) Exploiting full lung capacity. It is easy to fall into the habit of breathing only from the top of the lungs. Diaphragm breathing is essential in order to exploit the maximum capacity of the lungs, and also to control the dynamics of playing. Loud, soft, crescendo, diminuendo, the shaping and moulding of musical phrases are expressed and controlled by the movement of the diaphragm.
2) Posture. The basic position for the Indian musician is to sit cross legged, and yet this not an ideal position for wind instrument players. In most other traditions, wind instrument players either sit in a chair or stand, which greatly facilitates the breathing process. But for cultural and practical reasons the bansuri player always sits in cross-legged position during performance, but at other times it does not have to be this way. It is advisable to develop a flexible practice routine, sometimes practlse in the traditional position, other times sitting or standing. When sitting cross-legged, posture can be aided considerably by sitting on a cushion of about 6 cm in height, placed under the buttocks so that the knees reach down to the floor and the back then straightens, allowing the diaphragm to function more efficiently. Another way of sitting on the fleer is to kneel, sitting back on the heel (the position used by Japanese shakuhachi players), then during very long playing sessions to alternate between the two positions.
3) The development of stamina is essential. In all other traditions of flute playing, such as western classical music or jazz, there always times when the flute player can rest while other instruments play; even in carnatic music the flute player is usually accompanied by a violinist, so that he has moments to rest and recover his breath. In the hindustani tradition, the bansuri player is expected play seamlessly for long periods, of an hour or more. This is only possible when a perfect balance of intake and expenditure of energy and breath is established, Much practice of stamina building must be done. One test is to repeat a sequence, which could be , for instance, the first line of a composition followed by a tana and then returning to the line, and repeating the same without a break for up to 20 times, taking breath at the same places, and then observing any deterioration in the quality if one’s playing, increasing breathlessness, etc. If so, this will indicate that the breathing rhythm is not in balance, and more attention will need to be given to where one breathes, and how much is needed to keep the lungs full. In general, one should never continue playing until the lungs are nearly empty. oxygen deprivation will affect both physical and mental processes.
4) A general rule for all wind players of any instrument or tradition is to play long notes. Absolute steadiness, without vibrato is essential. Both low and high notes should be played, both straight and also with crescendo and diminuendo. The latter is particularly important, as in Indian music, notes rarely step suddenly, but tend to fade out and disappear into the background drone or tanpura.
5) Students frequently ask whether yoga breathing exercises are useful, to improve a players breath control, the answer being, not in any evident way. The fundamental difference between yogic breathing and that of a wind player is that in yoga, breathing involves bath the nose and mouth and the underlying principle is of regular breathing in and out. The flute player can only breathe through the mouth, and the rhythm is entirely dictated by musical necessities. However, one great advantage that Indian music has over western classical music is that it is not fixed, and the musician can adopt musical phrases and sequences to suit his/her own capacity. For a teacher writing tanas for students, it is always possible to tailor musical materials with breathing gaps, according to whether the student is a child. or adult.
6) The natural characteristic of the bansuri and all flutes is for the higher notes to have more volume and power and the lower notes to be softer and quieter, and yet the characteristic of the bansuri is to exhibit the greatest beauty and expressiveness when the player can achieve the opposite; to play strong powerful notes in the base, and soft ,delicate notes in the highest register.
1. THE BANSURI
The bansuri, this simple instrument made of bamboo, most ancient of instruments, has only recently come into its own in recent years. For this reason there is no tradition of making quality instruments. Only a generation ago, the bansuri players of India, if they wanted a quality in-tune instrument had to make their own. More recently there has been a great increase in the quantity and quality of instruments available commercially. There are individual makers who produce professional-standard instruments, not only in India but also in America and Europe. However, most of the flutes available, especially to the beginner, are to be found in music shops. These mass-produced shop flutes are almost invariably somewhat out of tune, and sometimes very much so. They are made to formula, and why they are not accurately made is that makers only take into account the length of the instrument, and not the diameter of the bamboo or its thickness, all of which can vary considerably. Thus it is possible to find shop flutes which are of the same length, with the same-spaced holes, labelled with the same letter and yet not it tune with each other. Another confusion for the first time buyer is the labelling system . For instance, a flute where Sa is D, can be marked B, or it also be marked A, as some makers indicate the scale of the flute from Pa instead of Sa. And yet there is another older system of indicating scale which can still be found, where, for instance a D-flute can also be labelled ‘white 2’ This is taken from the colour of the keys of the western keyboard, where Sa is equated with middle C Therefore C is ‘white 1’, Csharp is ‘Black 1’, D is ‘white 2’, D sharp is ‘black 2’, E is ‘white 3’ etc.
In fact, these shop flutes are fine for beginners, while they are still getting to grips with the mechanics of playing the bansuri. It is only when the student begins to play with a drone or tambura background that the inaccuracies of intonation become evident. Even then, it is possible to tune a flute (see chapter 10) . It is often worth doing if from every other aspect the flute is a good one (quality bamboo, good tone).
The first time buyer will also notice that there are some bansuris with six finger holes and others with seven. This last seventh hole is situated at angle to the other six so that it can be reached with the little finger. From it, another note, Tivra Ma can be played, and in the main playing scale, the use of the seventh hole ensures a smooth transition between the upper and lower registers, that is from Pa to Ma. The addition of this extra hole is no particular indication of overall quality. There can be 6 hole flutes that are excellent and seven hole flutes which are of poor quality, but where possible it is always better to purchase a flute with a seventh hole. This hole is always difficult to cover, as it can only be done with the tip of the small finger, and even then only on small flutes. As flutes get bigger in size the distancebetween the six and seventh hole becomes too great for the finger to reach. Only with base flutes does the seventh hole become again accessible.Recently bansuri makers have bean putting a seventh hole on the underside of the flute, so that the player, sitting in a cross-legged position, can tip the flute down to close the hole against the knee. It is an awkward procedure, and can only be done in the slower parts of performance, i.e. the alaap. The other method of reaching theseventh hole is the addition of an extension key.
The bansuri is not one instrument, but many, ranging in size from Sa on middle C to very small instruments up to an octave and a half higher. These different sizes are used for different musical purposes, for accompaniment, recording, solo etc. For the professional who engages the full variety and scope of bansuri playing, a full range of instruments is needed, a flute in every semitone , i.e. a flute C, one in C sharp, one in D one in D sharp, one in E etc. The beginner is recommend not to attempt the bass flutes, (the accepted standard concert bansuri in now generally accepted as being in E) but to begin on a much smaller flute, and work their way down to bass flutes in stages. It takes time to for the hand and fingers to achieve the stretch needed.
In fact, these shop flutes are fine for beginners, while they are still getting to grips with the mechanics of playing the bansuri. It is only when the student begins to play with a drone or tambura background that the inaccuracies of intonation become evident. Even then, it is possible to tune a flute (see chapter 10) . It is often worth doing if from every other aspect the flute is a good one (quality bamboo, good tone).
The first time buyer will also notice that there are some bansuris with six finger holes and others with seven. This last seventh hole is situated at angle to the other six so that it can be reached with the little finger. From it, another note, Tivra Ma can be played, and in the main playing scale, the use of the seventh hole ensures a smooth transition between the upper and lower registers, that is from Pa to Ma. The addition of this extra hole is no particular indication of overall quality. There can be 6 hole flutes that are excellent and seven hole flutes which are of poor quality, but where possible it is always better to purchase a flute with a seventh hole. This hole is always difficult to cover, as it can only be done with the tip of the small finger, and even then only on small flutes. As flutes get bigger in size the distancebetween the six and seventh hole becomes too great for the finger to reach. Only with base flutes does the seventh hole become again accessible.Recently bansuri makers have bean putting a seventh hole on the underside of the flute, so that the player, sitting in a cross-legged position, can tip the flute down to close the hole against the knee. It is an awkward procedure, and can only be done in the slower parts of performance, i.e. the alaap. The other method of reaching theseventh hole is the addition of an extension key.
The bansuri is not one instrument, but many, ranging in size from Sa on middle C to very small instruments up to an octave and a half higher. These different sizes are used for different musical purposes, for accompaniment, recording, solo etc. For the professional who engages the full variety and scope of bansuri playing, a full range of instruments is needed, a flute in every semitone , i.e. a flute C, one in C sharp, one in D one in D sharp, one in E etc. The beginner is recommend not to attempt the bass flutes, (the accepted standard concert bansuri in now generally accepted as being in E) but to begin on a much smaller flute, and work their way down to bass flutes in stages. It takes time to for the hand and fingers to achieve the stretch needed.
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