voice  culture

process of bringing the voice under control is known as voice culture. This study includes traditional and scientific methods to improve the quality of voice. 

Though voice is used for both speaking and singing, 
the technique of voice production for singing is more complex. 

Singing requires a more delicate control over the muscles. 
Effective control of breath, flexible speech organs, adjustments of resonators, wider range, mental perception, etc. are the features wherein the voice can be trained.

Voice production for singing consists of other features also, 
in which fields the voice has to be trained. 
They are like the shape of the mouth, 
effective pronunciation of the words, 
adjusting the voice to different tempos or speeds, 
controlling of volume or amplitude as the background of presentation demands, 
vowel pronunciation and a very important feature of developing imaginative power to improvise.

The voice has to be trained according to the style and type of singing one chooses, e.g. classical, light, folk, pop, semi-classical, etc. 
This is because each type of music demands a different style of voice production. 
The male and female built up of the voice producing organs differs. 
So, the training style will also differ.

The voice is the only living instrument of music. 

Every individual is unique, so is every voice. 

Though there are individual limitations differing from person to person, 

it is very important to note that this is the only instrument,

which can be cultivated, improved and cultured, by variation of pitch, intensity and timbre (tonal quality) and all the above mentioned features.

  Gandharva music is universal

"Gandharva music is universal. It is at home with every land, with every man, with every society. It is the language of bliss, the science and art of bliss, the song of Nature" - Maharishi

''Gandharva music is the expression of the eternal music of Nature. It is the music that is in alliance with Natural Law. If you can hear the music of Nature as the sun rises, as it shines in the ****llness of the midday, as the soft shadows of late afternoon spread across the land, if you can hear the sun set, the deep silence of midnight, the stillness of early morning and the first awakening of the dawn, these are the melodies and rhythms of gandharva music. They match perfectly with the cycles of Nature and the changing rhythms of Nature that govern the evolution of all levels of creation, from the minute to the ever-expanding universe.

It is the rhythms and melodies of Nature which were cognized by Vedic sages or rishis thousands of years ago and were put into sound. Gandharva music has its source in the timeless Vedic Tradition of India. It is the classical music of the ancient Vedic Civilization which enjoyed Heaven on Earth.

According to these ancient sages or rishis and at present Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, properly performing these melodies or ragas at the proper times of the day and night neutralizes stress in the atmosphere and creates a harmonizing and balancing influence for the individual and peace for the world family.

For centuries the magical and sublime melodies of gandharva music have been lost to the West, but now many of India's most famous and beloved musicians are touring the world performing these ancient melodies and demonstrating its power****l healing influence to audiences young and old. The revival of this music in its ****ll dignity is Maharishi Gandharva Veda music.

Maharishi Gandharva Veda music transcends categories. It speaks to all audiences in the universal language of harmony, beauty and peace.''

  

Power of music is due to the silence it delivers

Words fail,

grammar gets shattered

poetry flows

poetry fails

song sets in

thaal accompanies

song loses sense of meaning in the raag, aalaap

it is just a flow of sound

even the tune finds it self inadequate

silence takes over

self is fulfilled with its listener

the same self

what it says what is heard self knows alone,

it is sure a best message.

self talking to itself within

in silence finds the best way of communication

 Music--such words as this make me sing limitless,

madhya  

but we have --mandra, taara sapthak as well-what for?

and then we also exceed to athi mandra, ati thaara sapthak -----not for nothing 

then we have one drone, shruthi box or thanpura ---mono tone ,as a back ground --is it monotony? Definitely not 

and then we have raagas------how many?

and we have nava rasas , and ragas to convey the rightly each rasa 

and moods vary seasonal

and with the movement of day into night 

where is the limit for music 

om the pranav naad fills the universe , unending continuum 

and music makes one to dance in exhilaration, 

makes one to move into melancholy tears rolling

where is it excess

if it does not do its intended purpose, by limiting itself, then where is the creativity in music where is the joy of nonchalance?

i am dwelling on the topic, -is it excess

can you put a limit?

if you stop me , you will miss me 

and my music, though i continue to flow nonstop at every opportunity 

so limiting is humiliating oneself, i am a bit harsh, 

no limit is my theme 

going to extremes is my sport

 I listen to the same raga, same song, several times, with full attachment

 ie with so much full attachment that i get new tastes in it,

new insights in it, new melodies in it, new excitements, new fantasy, new wonders, thus every listening increases my attachment to it much more, probably i may not get detached from it at all in my life time,

 

i get never bored, never tired, never disgusted, but ever wanting to listen again and again can you see why and how this is happening?

 

here lies a principle it is the ability of the subject that matters , not the quality of the object if one is in the awakened stream of consciousness,

everything, from the most grand to the routine trivial becomes charming equally ,sensing the newness of his own newness in whatever object encountered yatha pinde thatha brahmande , even in tasting a chocolate"

 

"When u keep listening to something again and again u become one with it.. u and the the thing forming a self referral pair as if a silent dialog happening with it, the thing becoming a jhoola, to sit on and swing back and forth the jhoola, it is just a routine , nothing new, just oscillating yet one sitting on it and swinging finds immense joy, excitement, fun, liking to play again and again due to one forming a self referral pair with it, when u keep listening to something again and again , that thing acquires a special hue, an aura, a ''holy'' something since u are the stream of consciousness that has wetted it, that has sanctified it, that has enriched its value in other words ,an insignificant, stray, trivial , a chocolate or a straw 

 

straw gains value by association with u, since u are the stream of consciousness here one is in deep attachment yet in a ''nonstick'' unblemished by any attachment all due to one having awakened the stream of consciousness"

 

"In the state of stabilized samadhi, the activity carried out does not bind the doer / no attachment / no residual marks , like a line drawn on water, no trace is left since he is doing in the state of nondoing, so emphasize that the level of consciousness of the doer matters, but not on what is being done or on how many times it is repeated ,"

 

"Detachment does not happen if the activity is repeated any number of times detachment happens thru meditation, which lead one to the experience of the state of samadhi, instantly for a few moments in the initial days kshanika samadhi

 

as sadhana, matures after some time, this state becomes nitya samadhi ,ie, detachment, ie nonstick prevails in activity, whatever it may be, eating, walking, seeing, listening etc , without this sadhana, detachment does not happen even if the activity is repeated any number of times For a real devotee ,the same one name, rama , gives everlasting sweetness, for him its madhurima is ever lasting, never he gets bored never get detached

 

One's creativity makes the routine work too charming , nothing never boring

 

not the task is important , but the doer's level is the significant factor

Rasikatha, is the point a rasagna enjoys anything more thoroughly than others

since his level is that of rasovaisaha for a commoner classical music is boring for a connoisseur the same classical music is charming

lokobhinna ruche

since levels of perception differ

 

''bhais ke aage been, '' --is a saying underlining this point ''pearls before the swine'' is another"

Aum …om.....one anahath naad manifests as shadaj

 Om

Aum …om.....one anahath naad
manifests as shadaj

shadaj transforms into sapthaswar
with teevar, komal, shudh, baara barabar

then heightens into thara, 
lessens to mandra, yet remains mostly in madhya

swars combine to be thaats
generate raags

raags create nava rasas
and the creator enjoys raas

with thal, with vadan, 
and does nachan

sangeeth with association of sahithya
creates a world of mithya and sathya

all a nice unity
tho all is unique diversity

in ever new novelty
with infinite variety

with divine beauty
truly, it's cutie

Basics of Voice Culture

Basics of Voice Culture

The process of bringing the voice under control is known as voice culture. This study includes traditional and scientific methods to improve the quality of voice. 

Though voice is used for both speaking and singing, the technique of voice production for singing is more complex. Singing requires a more delicate control over the muscles. Effective control of breath, flexible speech organs, adjustments of resonators, wider range, mental perception, etc. are the features wherein the voice can be trained.

Voice production for singing consists of other features also, in which fields the voice has to be trained. They are like the shape of the mouth, effective pronunciation of the words, adjusting the voice to different tempos or speeds, controlling of volume or amplitude as the background of presentation demands, vowel pronunciation and a very important feature of developing imaginative power to improvise.

The voice has to be trained according to the style and type of singing one chooses, e.g. classical, light, folk, pop, semi-classical, etc. This is because each type of music demands a different style of voice production. The male and female built up of the voice producing organs differs. So, the training style will also differ.

The voice is the only living instrument of music. Every individual is unique, so is every voice. Though there are individual limitations differing from person to person, it is very important to note that this is the only instrument, which can be cultivated, improved and cultured, by variation of pitch, intensity and timbre (tonal quality) and all the above mentioned features. 

4 Basic Steps Of Voice Training 
1. Hearing. 
2. Control of Breath. 
3. Practice (Riyaz). 
4. Physical and Mental Fitness. 

Hearing:
Imitation is the first step towards learning. This statement applies to voice training, too. Concentrated listening is the basic requirement. By listening more and more, the brain creates and stores a mental image of the music. The notes, the tunes, the rhythm, the speed, the words, the volume, the tonal quality of the voice or instrument, etc. are stored in the brain. When we try to sing, this mental image co-ordinates with the laryngeal muscles to produce the music required. Thus, it can be easily understood that, the more we hear, the more we listen, there will be a better ability of voice production. We should listen with all the aspects of the musical form in our minds - like, tonal quality, phonetic quality, time intervals, the microtones (shrutis), expressional effects of the voice, etc. The more deeply we listen, the better quality of music we will sing. Better the mental and physical co-ordination, better will be the voice production. Though this is the first, basic fundamental and unavoidable step towards learning, we should remember that this is not the only step. It is not enough by itself.

Control Of Breath: 
This is also a very important step towards voice culture. If we can master our breath, we can easily master our voice for singing. Breath Control gives fine-ness, clarity, steadiness and confident phonation to the voice. There are 4 types of breathing: Clavicular (shoulder), Costal (chest), Diaphragmatic and Abdominal. Clavicular breathing is useful to sing very shrill notes. Costal breathing is used to sing high-pitched notes. Diaphragmatic breathing is useful for every singer. When a singer cultivates this type of breathing, unnecessary and unwanted wobbling or shaking of voice can be controlled. Abdominal breathing helps to sing the lower notes effectively. Also, this type of breathing helps a singer to reach the subtler heights of singing. 

Riyaz (Practice): 
Everyone knows - 'Practice makes man perfect'. Practice should be divided in 2 types: 
1. Trying that which we cannot sing but want to sing. 
2. Repeating that which we already know and bring it closer to perfection. 

By regular practice of singing, we give physical training to all the muscles and the voice production system on the whole. This training will vary with the type of music chosen for singing. The aspects of the voice, phonation, articulation, pitch control vary with the style of music, so will the factors to be emphasized during practice vary.

The time period that should be given for practice will again vary with the expected time period of the performance. In classical types of music where improvisation is a part of the performance, it is necessary to devote more time, even 2-3 hours at a stretch.

One important factor during practice is that we should, along with singing, hear our own singing, critically. We should listen to our own singing like a third party. This will help us to grow faster. We can thus find out our own mistakes and limitations and work over them. This rules out overconfidence. We should always remember that perfection is a word found only in the dictionary, it is an illusion. If we start thinking that our performance is perfect, then the growing, culturing and cultivating totally stops. 

Practice develops the control over the vocal cords. Practice also develops confidence in the singer, which expresses itself in the voice.

Physical and Mental Fitness: 
Singing is an activity of physical and mental movements. It is a synchronization of our physical and mental state. So, physical and mental fitness are necessary for good and happy singing. 

So that our voice should be rich with harmonics, all the resonators i.e. the air cavities in our body should be clean and healthy. This includes the lung cavities, pharynx and nasal cavities, which are directly related to singing. These resonators should be free from coughs and colds, extra mucus and other infections, for a good voice production.

We experience that overwhelming emotions affect our voice controlling capacity. Negative emotions also affect the tonal quality of our voice. Negative emotions are a hindrance to the growth of voice production. Mental fitness leads to a better synchronization of the singing activities.

Regular exercise, healthy and balanced diet and regular meditation or any tension releasing exercises are a necessity for our fitness.

We see people around us who have reached considerable heights without practicing these four steps. This tends many of us to become lazy or we lose trust of this path. 
We should remember that the above steps of culturing the voice help us to reach the higher points of 'our' potential. Even if we do not follow the steps, it will not happen that we will be nowhere, but we will surely miss the highest potential of our own self. The growing of our talents will surely be affected.

Manjiree Gokhale
Thane, Maharashtra INDIA
25-Jan-2003

Art is Self Manifestation of the Artist.

Art is Self Manifestation of the Artist. 

When an artiest exhibits more of his self, he becomes a true artiest. 
The scale of measuring an artist is “how much self is manifested by him in to his art”. 

In pursuit to create more and more artistic works, an artist try’s to learn more and more of him self. Knowingly or unknowingly he is in search of the god in himself. This approaches him to salvation. Hence it is also called a yoga

A fan or the connoisseur is a great admirer of an Artist. 
He amuses and collects more and more of the creation of his favorite artist. 

By admiring the creations of an artist, he knowingly or unknowingly is in search of the Artist that he himself.is 

That is actually, he is in search of the sole of the artist. 

This is in turn, in search of himself. 

Searching one own self, leads to the search of god who resides within 

Through the art both the artiest and the connoisseur [fan] both go in search of themselves 

and in turn they search for the almighty that leads to the salvation.

raag and thaal---great are these

 raag and thaal---great are these
together they rejoice

swing to the tune of raag
dance to the beat of thaal

you are siva, a nataraja
on the head of snake , a tandav krishna

you are deva walk into the devalok, 
for a fresh look

you are gandharva, kinera, kimpurush
gaayan, vaadan naachan, you possess

you are rishi
meditate, make life a sangeethshri

you are naarad
all lokas are yours , a vishaarad

fly high unbound
flow in flood unleashed

walk on water
float in space, undeter

you are athma
dear son of paramathma
whom
sword cannot cut
fire cannot burn
air cannot dry
water cannot wet

free yourself
of all fetters that engulf

no need to be in well of sansar
surf heartful, ocean is there apaar

no cares
no worries

all vapourise
awareness raise

do prayer to yourself
be ,just a player aloof  

The eternal music of nature

 

source
Maharishi Gandharva Veda
quote
The Eternal Music of Nature

Music that Connects You with Nature
A breath-taking sunset, a panoramic mountain view or a waterfall in the woods can fill you with wonder and joy. The melodies of Gandharva Veda mirror this experience. If you could hear the frequencies of Nature, you would hear the sounds of Gandharva Veda music.
Each of these melodies (Ragas) traces the vibrations and pattern of a particular time of day. When you play a melody during the specified time period, it creates a natural balance and harmony in your awareness and in the environment, and through the particular quality (Rasa) of each Raga, characteristics such as greater courage, self-confidence, wisdom, and happiness are enlivened.

The History of this Music
Thousands of years ago in India, great Rishis or sages cognized within their own consciousness the subtle rhythms and enlightening melodies of the Veda, which is pure knowledge at the basis of Nature. As a part of the Veda, Gandharva Veda is the tradition of musical performance that replicates the vibrations of Nature at different times of day and night. Now, Maharishi has revived this eternal music of Nature and inspired the most renowned musicians of India to bless the world with Maharishi Gandharva Veda music. By playing this music you join in creating greater peace, harmony and joy for yourself, your dear ones and the world.

About Raga Melodies
Gandharva Veda is based on melodies called Ragas. Each Raga has a unique structure which combines both fixed elements and infinite possibilities of variation, allowing the musician to bring out all the subtle values of the frequencies present at that time of the day. Each Raga is based on one of the ten basic scales called Thaat, which determine the notes that are permitted in the Raga.
How to Listen to this music
The knowledge of when to play each Raga comes from the time theory of Maharishi Gandharva Veda. This theory is based on three-hour periods called Praharas which correspond to the changing frequencies of Nature throughout the day. It is best to listen to Maharishi Gandharva Veda in a comfortable position-sitting or lying down-with the eyes closed. Even when no one is present to listen, playing the music 24 hours a day in your home or workplace generates a peaceful, soothing atmosphere that uplifts the whole environment.unquote

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The eternal music of nature | SpeakingTree