But instructions as to the methodology of messing around<\/em> are a different order of being, and that’s not what this posting is about. Just as a singer should spend a certain amount of time in free play, he or she needs to put in some regular time on building the skills that will ensure easy, consistent and correct performance capability.<\/p>\n Probably the easiest of these skills to teach through a blog post is layakari<\/em>, the manipulation of rhythm in interesting patterns \u2014 which is why previous practice postings have focused on this area. Today’s is no exception.<\/p>\n I will present another reductionist approach to developing layakari skills within the confines of a teentaal bandish.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n In this article I’m using the first line (mukhda<\/em>) of the famous Malkauns composition mukh mora mora musakaata jaata<\/em> (“laughingly turning her face, she goes”) as an example, but it’s a good idea to go methodically through these exercises in whatever bandish<\/em> you happen to be practicing at the moment.<\/p>\n Here’s the first line of mukh mora mora<\/em> in Romanized Bhatkhande notation:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n First, count the words.<\/p>\n Mukh \/ mora \/ mora \/ musakaata \/ jaata<\/p>\n There are five words; W = 5. The total number of permutations in this exercise is W squared: 25.<\/p>\n How many beats in each word?<\/p>\n mukh<\/em> = 2 2 + 3 + 3 + 5 + 3 = 16<\/p><\/blockquote>\n There are two parts of this exercise. First, using text syllables and melodic variations. Second, reciting tabla bols for the appropriate parts of the theka, going through all the permutations in exactly the same way.<\/p>\n FIRST \u2014 TEXT & MELODY:<\/strong><\/p>\n Each word in the song segment gets a new melody line, built up one word at a time from the starting word, and keeping the original word length unchanged.<\/p>\n Let’s say I begin at mukh<\/em>, which is two beats long in the original. That means I need two beats’ worth of melody \u2014 and for ease of singing, it should be melody that links easily with the starting note of the next word in the sequence, which will be sung as it usually is.<\/p>\n The second pass through the material asks for new melody on the first and second words. The next word is mora<\/em> (1), which lasts three beats in the original \u2014 so I must add three more beats’ worth of melody that connects nicely to the original melody at mora<\/em> (2). The third pass through the material asks for new melody on words 1, 2 and 3 \u2014 from “mukha” to “mora (2).” See how this works?<\/p>\n 1st word to:<\/p>\n 2nd word: beat 7 to beat 8 I composed some melodic variations, just to give the basic idea \u2014 but please compose your own; there is nothing particularly special about the lines I’ve written.<\/p>\n Here is the complete set, beginning on “mukha.<\/em>” Each successive variation is one word longer; the final 16-beat variation rejoins the original melody at the starting word. For your convenience, the variations are highlighted.<\/p>\n Next, let’s start the variations on the second word of the song, in this case “mora<\/em> (1).”<\/p>\n 2nd word to:<\/p>\n 3rd word: beat 9 to beat 11 3rd word to:<\/p>\n 4th word: beat 12 to beat 14 4th word to:<\/p>\n 5th word: beat 15 to beat 3![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.warrensenders.com\/journal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/bandish000.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n
\nmora<\/em> (1) = 3
\nmora<\/em> (2) = 3
\nmusakaata<\/em> = 5
\njaata<\/em> = 3<\/p>\n
\n(starts at \u201cmukha<\/em>,\u201d rejoins \u201cmora<\/em> (1)\u201d) = 2;
\n3rd word: beat 7 to beat 11
\n(starts at \u201cmukha<\/em>,\u201d rejoins \u201cmora<\/em> (2)\u201d) = 5;
\n4th word: beat 7 to beat 14
\n(starts at \u201cmukha<\/em>,\u201d rejoins \u201cmusakaata<\/em>\u201d) = 8;
\n5th word: beat 7 to beat 3
\n(starts at \u201cmukha<\/em>,\u201d rejoins \u201cjaata<\/em>\u201d) = 13;
\n1st word: beat 7 to beat 6
\n(starts at \u201cmukha<\/em>,\u201d rejoins “mukha<\/em>“) = 16;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
\n(starts at \u201cmora<\/em> (1),\u201d rejoins \u201cmora<\/em> (2)\u201d) = 3;
\n4th word: beat 9 to beat 14
\n(starts at \u201cmora<\/em> (1),\u201d rejoins \u201cmusakaata<\/em>\u201d) = 6;
\n5th word: beat 9 to beat 3
\n(starts at \u201cmora<\/em> (1),\u201d rejoins \u201cjaata<\/em>\u201d) = 11;
\n1st word: beat 9 to beat 6
\n(starts at \u201cmora<\/em> (1),\u201d rejoins \u201cmukha<\/em>\u201d) = 14;
\n2nd word: beat 9 to beat 8
\n(starts at \u201cmora<\/em> (1),\u201d rejoins that word) = 16;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
\n(starts at \u201cmora<\/em> (2),\u201d rejoins \u201cmusakaata<\/em>\u201d) = 5;
\n5th word: beat 12 to beat 3
\n(starts at \u201cmora<\/em> (2),\u201d rejoins \u201cjaata<\/em>\u201d) = 8;
\n1st word: beat 12 to beat 6
\n(starts at \u201cmora<\/em> (2),\u201d rejoins \u201cmukha<\/em>\u201d) = 11;
\n2nd word: beat 12 to beat 8
\n(starts at \u201cmora<\/em> (2),\u201d rejoins \u201cmora<\/em> (1)\u201d) = 13;
\n3rd word: beat 12 to beat 11
\n(starts at \u201cmora<\/em> (2),\u201d rejoins that word) = 16;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
\n(starts at \u201cmusakaata<\/em>,\u201d rejoins \u201cjaata<\/em>\u201d) = 5;
\n1st word: beat 15 to beat 6
\n(starts at \u201cmusakaata<\/em>,\u201d rejoins \u201cmukha<\/em>\u201d) = 8;
\n2nd word: beat 15 to beat 8
\n(starts at \u201cmusakaata<\/em>,\u201d rejoins \u201cmora<\/em> (1)\u201d) = 10;
\n3rd word: beat 15 to beat 11
\n(starts at \u201cmusakaata<\/em>,\u201d rejoins \u201cmora<\/em> (2)\u201d) = 13;
\n4th word: beat 15 to beat 14
\n(starts at \u201cmusakaata<\/em>,\u201d rejoins that word) = 16;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n