Wednesday, January 21, 2009

A day 48 hours long.

You know i always wondered why 'Riyaaz' early in the morning was so important for Indian classical music. I mean, hey its just practice right? you can do that whenever right? wrong.


Unlike the standard 'stuff' that i know, Indian classical seems to be from another dimension. Indian classical is based on the 'raaga'. Unlike western music , it is not a scale, or a chord, or a triad. Theres no definition of a Raaga. Damn. Not only does one have to learn the notes of the many hundereds or Raagas , The Indian musician has to also improvise using those very notes.

I tried playing a raaga called 'Jhinjhoti'. Guess where i learnt that from> A song called Afterglow by a band called INXS. Yes. Apparently Sona(the indian singer, remember Bolo na? ) collaborated with JD Fortune( the Indian version of Afterglow is on youtube, posted below) And in her interview she said that on first hearing the song , she thought it sounded like 'Jhinjhoti'/. Now for an illiterate person like me, All Indian classical sounds the same.(NOT BORING).

I thought sweep picking my arpeggios on the guitar was Killing. After Trying Indian Classical, I'm being murdered.


WATCH THIS VIDEO NOW. ITS TIME WELL SPENT.