You Can Ta Ka Di Mi This!

You Can Ta Ka Di Mi This!

Improve and Expand
Your Rhythmic
Sense & Precision

by

TODD ISLER

75 pgs

Published by:
GERARD and SARZIN
PUBLISHING CO.

includes companion audio CD

| Order | On the CD |

"To expand your personal vocabulary beyond your instrument you have to study the world of music... intervals, melodies, harmonies and rhythms have to vibrate in your body!! This book will begin to help you focus and do just that Joe Lovano

"A great book! Todd has clearly and methodically opened the door into the mysteries and intricacies of South Indian Rhythm. Bravo!" Mark Feldman

I find the sounds and rhythms of India mysterious and captivating. The first time I heard my teacher Ramnod V. Raghavan play the mridangam (the principal accompaniment instrument in South Indian classical music), I had a "what the hell was that" feeling: a shift, a dance, a cadence on a part of the beat that I wasn't expecting. It was similar to when I saw the VSOP Quintet in 1975, consisting of the Miles Davis alumni; I had no idea what was happening, yet that visceral awakening had recurred.

There are many ways to open oneself to hearing and feeling rhythm. I have found the South Indian system to be quite fascinating and helpful in taking the mystery out of rhythm. The Indian percussionists have taken rhythm to mind-boggling heights. At the core of their system are syllables, known in India as "solkattu." Musicians in this part of the world, regardless of their instrument, are required to know these syllables. In fact, most of the time they're required to "sing" the piece with syllables before they can play it on their instrument. The syllables vary from place to place, and even from teacher to teacher, and yet are building blocks of rhythm, from the simple to the complex.

This book is about the connection between one voice and body. I intend to take some basic concept from the South Indian tradition-namely, the use spoken syllables-and use them as a vehicle for all musicians to ground and expand their sense of rhythm. The book will have two ongoing themes: reciting the syllables, and learning the corresponding Western notation. Whether you are a vocalist, drummer, or a French horn player, this book gives you the tools to ground your beat and expand your rhythmic comfort zone, especially in odd time signatures. As a teacher, I have discovered that my students have shown a marked improvement when singing a groove before they play it. In time you will simultaneously be able to feel "long" phrases containing several short ones, as well as a grounding of your personal beat. I encourage anyone interested in Indian rhythms to explore the listening and reading suggestions at the end of this book and go from there to other world music traditions.

WHAT'S ON THE CD

1 Introduction
2 Part One: Subdividing the beat
3 Quarter notes
4 Eighth notes
5 Sixteenth notes
6 Thirty-second notes
7 Quarters through thirty-seconds consecutively
8 Tisra "3" in quarter notes
9 Eighth notes
10 Sixteenth notes
11 Sixteenths accenting first Ta
12 Sixteenths accenting every downbeat
13 Thirty-second notes
14 Quarters through thirty-seconds consecutively
15 Khanda "5" in quarter notes
16 Eighth notes
17 Sixteenth notes
18 Thirty-second notes
19 Quarters through thirty-seconds consecutively
20 Misra "7" in quarter notes
21 Eighth notes
22 Sixteenth notes
23 Thirty-second notes
24 Quarters through thirty-seconds consecutively
25 Sankirna "9" in quarters
26 Eighth notes
27 Sixteenth notes
28 Thirty-second notes
29 Quarters through thirty-seconds consecutively

30 Part Two: The Triplet Feel
Ta Ka Di Mi accenting downbeats, accenting first Ta
31 Sixteenth notes triplets accenting downbeats, accenting first Ta
32 Tisra "3" in eighth note triplets, sixteenth note triplets, four of each
33 Khanda "5" accenting first Ta of Ta Di Ki Na Thom, accenting first Ta in sixteenth notes triplets, two bars eighth note triplets and two bars sixteenth note triplets
34 Misra "7" in eighth note triplets starting with Ka Di Mi Ta Ki Ta, starting with Ta Ki Ta Ta Ka Di Mi, Ta Ka Di Mi Ta Ki Ta in sixteenth note triplets, 2 bars eighths into two bars sixteenths
35 Sankirna "9" in eighth note triplets, using Ta Ka Di Mi Ta Di Ki Na Thom accenting the first Ta, sixteenth note triplets accenting the first Ta, accenting every downbeat

36 Part 3: Leaving Space Ta Ki Ta ("Tisra") showing 4 over 3 legato, staccato, leaving out the last Ta of every Ta Ki Ta, leaving out the Ki
37 Khanda "5" leaving space singing Ta Ki of every Ta Di Ki Na Thom, singing every Ta Ki Na, singing Ta Di, singing Ta Ki Thom, singing Ta ti Ki Na
38 Misra "7" leaving space singing Ta Di Ta of every Ta Ka Di Mi Ta Ki Ta, singing Ta Di Mi, singing Ta Ki Ta, singing Ta Ka Di Mi, singing Ta Di Ta Ta, singing Ta Ta Ki Ta, singing Ta Di Mi Ta, singing Ta Di Ta of the Ta Ki Ta Ta Ka Di Mi version of Misra
39 Sankirna "9" leaving space singing Ta Ka Di Mi Ta of every Ta Ka Di Mi Ta Di Ki Na Thom, sing- ing Ta Ka Di Mi in legato and staccato, singing Ta Mi Ta Di Ki, singing Ta Di Ta Ki legato and staccato, singing alternate syllables Ta Di Ki Na Thom, singing Ta Di Mi Di Na

40 Part 4: Leaving Space In Triplet Feels
Chatusura "4" singing Ta Di over quarter note triplets
41 Ta Mi Ta over the eighth note triplet pulse
42 Ta Ka Di over eighth note triplet pulse
43 Last three syllables Ka Di Mi
44 Middle two syllables Ka Di
45 Khanda "5" singing Ta Di Ki Na over eighth note triplet pulse
46 Ta Ki over eighth note triplet pulse
47 Ta Na over eighth note triplet pulse
48 Ta Na Thom
49 Ta Ki Na
50 Ki Na Thom
51 Ta Ka Ta of every Ta Ka Ta Ki Ta
52 Ta Ta
53 Misra "7" over eighth note triplet pulse singing Ta Ki Ta Ta Ka
54 Ta Ka Di Mi
55 Ta Di Ta
66 Ta Di Mi Ta
57 Ta Di Mi
58 Ta Ki Ta Ka
59 Ta Ta Ki Ta
60 Ta Ta Di
61 Ta Ki Ta
62 Sankirna "9" singing Ta Ka Di Mi Ta over eighth note triplet pulse
63 Ta Di Ta Ki
64 Ta Di Ki Na Thom (alternate syllables)
65 Ta Di Ki Na Thom Ta Di
66 Constant eighth note triplet singing the second two syllables using Ka Dl
67 Constant eighth note triplet singing the first two syllables using Ta Thom

68 Part 5: Reductions
Tisra "3" singing Ta Ki Ta
69 Reduction in Khanda "5" singing Ta Di Ki Na Thom
70 Reduction in Misra "7" singing Ta Ka Di Mi Ta Ki Ta
71 Reduction in Sankirna "9" singing Ta Ka Di Mi Ta Di Ki Na Thom

72 Part 6: Reductions In Adi Tala Reduction in Adi Tala singing Tisra "3"
73 Reduction in Adi Tala singing Khanda "5"
74 Reduction in Adi Tala singing Misra "7"
75 Reduction in Adi Tala singing Sankirna "9"

76 Part 7: Rhythm Puzzles
Rhythm puzzle #1
77 #2
78 #3
79 #4
80 #5
81 #6
82 #7
83 #8

84 Part 8: Metric Modulation Ta Ka Di Mi Ta Ka Jun Ah
85 Leaving space in Ta Ka Di Mi Ta Ka Jun Ah
86 Metric Modulation in Khanda "5"
87 Metric Modulation in Khanda leaving space
88 Metric Modulation in Misra "7"
89 Metric Modulation in Misra leaving space
90 Metric Modulation in Sankirna "9" 91 Metric Modulation in Sankirna leaving space
92 Five syllables per beat with Ta Ki Di Mi
93 Five syllables per beat with Ta Di Ki Na Thom
94 Five syllables per beat with Ta Ka Di Mi Ta Ki Ta
95 Five syllables per beat with Ta Ka Di Mi Ta Di Ki Na Thom

[ISBN 1-930080-02-6]