Bending the rules

Music is about rules and structure, then we try to break free of this structure without destroying the music itself. The great thing about music is that ugly misdirections are brief and disappear into the cosmos. Unless you record them and put them on youtube.
The Sarode is a beautiful instrument but has a tradition that can be so cumbersome that it can strangle new creative directions.  Breaking out is hard because the great teachers of the instrument are so far out in front that in order to do anything new you need to be out there too.
Right now I'm working on Tilak Kamod and Asha Mand. If you know what they are, you know that it involves the C major scale. Both of these Raga's are variations of that scale. I use the guitar to pull me away from the rigid structure of the Raga system of propel me into more untrodden waters. Chords for the C major scale are C,Dm,Am.G,F,Em,plus 7th's and other variant chords.

Tuning a Sarode

Sarode is tuned around the key of "C" , I say 'around' because in Indian music the exact tuning can vary. So we have 4 strings pressed with the left hand, these are the main playing strings. They are tuned C,G,C,F. The chickari and jawari strings which are struck with the right hand are 'chichari' high 'C'. jawari,'C,E,D,B. Those 4 jawari are subject to different tunings for different compositions. The 'Tarib' strings or sympathetics, are tuned from low to high, thus.

A,B,C,DEb,E, F,F#,G,A,Bb,B,C,D,E, there are 15 Tarib strings usually, also these tuning can vary.
This is the tuning structure for the Hemen Sarode.

Where does a Sarode come from?

The Indian Sarode comes orgininally from the Afghan Rabab.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0RsE7W6omk&feature=related
This link gives a good illustration of the Rabab.

back in the mists of time

1974, long hair,strange clothes, and this http://www.zshare.net/download/973550074c0d083d/

Should be confusing

Asavari is one of the 10 Thats that were compiled by V.N.Bhatkandi in the 1850's as he tried to make sense of the Indian Raga system. Until then it was a family affair(still is) but each family had different idea's about how to play any one Raga. Now there are about 75,000 Raga's and millions of compositions in each Raga. Anyway Asavari is also Raga Asavari which has a ascending and descending scale as thus: CD(Eb)FG(Ab)(Bb)C  C(Bb) (Ab)GF(Eb)DC. The brackets are just to help tp identify the flat notes. Here is a fusion piece from the Album TAKITA with guitar,tabla, Sarode. playing in this That.
 http://www.zshare.net/audio/973081070f20fa45/

Plinky plonk

That's the sound of a Sarode player warming up. I have a new music hosting site.
http://www.zshare.net/audio/972919204d04f2a4/
I've been attempting to do this for a long time so I'm happy with the result so far.

Diwali and more

I loved the rehearsals leading up to the Diwali festival at TRU in Kamloops.
Very interesting playing with the piano. It's not an instrument that naturally goes with the Sarode but we seemed to make it work.