Newbie Question re. indian flute

Stef · Post by **Stef** » Sun Oct 20, 2002 10:18 am

Just picked up my first flute. Turns out these things are not just whistles that you play sideways!

My dumb question is: what is the seventh hole for? This flute (bamboo, made in India) was marked with a 'G' near the hole that you blow in and a 'D' near the seventh hole, (slightly offset, reachable with a pinkie). It sounds like a 'D' scale with the hole uncovered (although I am tone deaf and could be wrong). I am used to playing the 'G' scale using cross fingerings on a whistle.

Should this hole be uncovered at all times? Or is it for switching between D and G?

Thanks,

S.

JamieHamilton · Post by **JamieHamilton** » Sun Oct 20, 2002 11:05 am

Hey, Stef,

I spent some time last summer playing and studying with Manose Singh, one of the leading bansuri (Indian bamboo flute) players. According to him, the last hole is a venting hole just like the ones on your average wooden flute - the bansuri just happens to have one, not two.

That guy was truly amazing, though - carried at least 20 bansuris (including one pitched in D below irish flute D) around in a golf-club bag.... unbelievable tonality in those things.

Regards,
Jamey.

Stef · Post by **Stef** » Sun Oct 20, 2002 11:14 am

Thanks Jamie,

I thought it might be fun to experiment with Indian music a little. Do you know any good sources of info on the web?

Cheers,

Stef.

SylvainBarou · Post by **SylvainBarou** » Sun Oct 20, 2002 7:26 pm

Hi Stef,

Some internet resources about the bansuri:

the website of Hariprasad Chaurasia :
http://www.chaurasia.com/
Great south indian flute player Shashank:
http://www.indiaartist.com/shashank

the great bansuri player and maker who made my bansuri flutes : Harsh Wardhan :
http://wardhan.free.fr/

there is a great database of indian music online in streamed audio format :
http://www.musicindiaonline.com/
covers both carnatic and hindustani...

a very good starting guide about the raagas:
http://www.soundofindia.com/

hope it helps,

Regards,

Sylvain

planxtydt · Post by **planxtydt** » Mon Oct 21, 2002 4:33 pm

Sylvain,

I wonder if you could tell me what the "most common" key or pitch is for the bansuri. Where does Harsh work from?

Many Thanks

David

SylvainBarou · Post by **SylvainBarou** » Mon Oct 21, 2002 5:29 pm

Hi David,

the usual key is E (means that the flute plays down to B Natural. The pitch of the bansuri is when the 3 holes under the left hand are closed and the right hand's fingers opened. Like if you play a G on a D flute)...
harsh is from New Delhi, he makes flutes for Hariprasad Chaurasia & Rakesh Chaurasia, and for himself (he is also a fantastic player)
These flutes are not very suitable for irish music except for playing slow airs, the tone is very specific to indian classical music and our ornamentation doesn't work great on it. The bansuri ornaments are very different, and come from the very intricate vocal techniques. Some of them can be played on irish flute and that's very interesting !
For example, the "Meend" is the technique which consists of gliding from one note to another.This technique is used to draw the same level of attention to both notes while staying within the context of the composition.
The "Murki" is very interesting it consists of playing very very fast woven notes around the principal note. Not easy to explain but very typical when you listen to Chaurasia for example.

The indian music techniques are very interesting for a flute player. Studying it a little bit brought me many good things for playing breton & irish stuff...

Regards,

Sylvain

planxtydt · Post by **planxtydt** » Tue Oct 22, 2002 3:43 pm

Hi Sylvain,

Thanks for the info! I was thinking of trying a different kind of flute just to explore a bit. One that I could use within Irish music but that would give a distinctly "international" effect.

Regards,

David