COURSE PRACTICAL METHOD OF MRDANGA

By Jivartha Dasa
Booklet and Audios at http://madhuramrdanga.4shared.com Publication, Translation and Organization by David Britto

INDEX

INTRODUCTION (pg.3) A Brief History of the Mrdanga The Purpose of the Course The Tuning of the Mrdanga Position of the Mrdanga ELEMENTARY BEATS (or strokes) (pg.4) SUMMARY OF BEATS (or strokes) Elementary Beats (or strokes) Combined Beats (or strokes) Demonstration of the Beats (or strokes) Notation Used on Vipramukhya Dasa Course

SLOW MANTRA (pg.6) 1 LESSON (1 Mantra) 2 LESSON (2 Mantra)

MANTRA OF PASSAGE (or Connection) (pg.7) 3 LESSON (3 Mantra) INTERMEDIATE MANTRA (pg.7) 4 LESSON (4 Mantra) STILL MANTRA (pg.8) 5 LESSON (5 Mantra) FAST MANTRA (pg.9) 6 LESSON (6 Mantra)

INTRODUCTION

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE MRDANGA The history of the mrdanga drum date thousands of years ago in ancient India during Vedic times. The reference is found in the Bhagavata Purana, one of the bigest Puranas or stories of the earth planet, which states that the old mrdangas were used during the time Lord Krishna was on the planet, thousands of years ago. Veena-venu mrdangani puram pravisati prabhu (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.50.3). The term Mrdanga comes from the Sanskrit language. Two main meanings of the word were given by academics. The first meaning derives from "mrd" which means "clay" and "anga" meaning "body." Therefore, we have a drum whose body is made of clay. The second is the meaning derived from "mrdan" meaning "as it hits" and "ga" which means "to go." Therefore, we have "beaten while walking." The drum is designed so to be played while walking or dancing. The original purpose of mrdanga, as well as all other ancient Indian instruments, was to accompany the chanting of sacred prayers as a form of worship. These sacred prayers were further divided into two particular categories: "bhajans" or devotional songs and "kirtan" or congregational chanting of the Holy Names. THE PURPOSE OF THE COURSE The purpose of the course is to encourage and guide those who want to play and haves a tendency to play mrdanga. There are many mantras, but in principle, we will learn only six because they are basic and easy to play. With these, the practitioner will be able to follow any bhajana or kirtana. The other lessons will be given later, they are more difficult to implement. First the base. THE TUNING OF THE MRDANGA To tune the mrdanga, make sure that none of the drums is touching the ground, because if this happens will affect the tuning. The big drum should be tuned first. Usually in OF. The small drum must be tuned a fifth above, that means, SOL. Use chalk or ghee on both drums to reduce friction of the hands, thus producing more answers to the beats POSITION OF THE MRDANGA The strap of the mrdanga must land on the right shoulder and the right hand should touch the small drum. The left hand must touch the big drum. 3

ELEMENTARY BEATS (or strokes)

(pics below) TA: It is played with the right index finger. The middle joint of the finger should touch the edge, allowing the finger bounce on the drum. It is a loose beat that produces resonance. TE: It is played with the second and third fingers of his right hand together. On this beat the fingers should be close to the drum, producing a dry sound non-resonant. RE: It is played with the right index finger. The finger should be stuck to the drum, producing a sound that unlike TA, it is dry and non-resonant. DHUM: It is a beat played with the fingers of left hand. The tops of the fingers should touch the edge of the drum. It is a loose beat that produces resonance. KA: It is played with the whole left hand. The hand must remain attached to the drum producing a dry sound non-resonant.

Summary of Beats (or strokes)

ELEMENTARY BEATS Beats (or strokes) of DAYAN (small and sharp end of the Mrdanga): ta (index finger strike like whip, lash, resonant) te (3 lower fingers, non-resonant) re (index finger, non-resonant) _________________________________ Beats (or strokes) of BAYAN (big and bass of the Mrdanga): dhum (4 fingers united, the palm strike the edge, resonant) ka (5 fingers open, non-resonant) Audios: Track 1 COMBINED BEATS (Played at same time) DHUM dha = ta + dhum dhe = te + dhum _________________________________ KA kat = ta + ka 4

ket = te + ka DEMONSTRATION OF BEATS (or strokes)

Ta 1

Ta 2

Ta 3

Te 1

Te 2

Te 3

Dhum 1

Dhum 2

Dhum 3

Ka 1

Ka 2

Ka 3

NOTATION USED ON VIPRAMUKHYA DASA COURSE [ta = ta] [te = ti] [re = ri ] [ka = ki] [kat = tok] [ket = tuk] [dhum = ge] [dha = dha] [dhe = duk]

By the mercy and enthusiasm of our spiritual preceptor His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the pleasures of singing and playing the Indian spiritual music were brought to the Western world and experienced by thousands of people. Srila Prabhupada wanted everyone to have the opportunity to learn how to play 5

mrdanga, for it had always been traditionally used to glorify the Supreme Lord on dances and songs. In fact, he requested that thousands of mrdangas were produced for this purpose.

SLOW MANTRA 1 LESSON

(1 Mantra)

ta te re te re te ta ka ka ta ka dhum dha dhe dha dhe dha dhe dhum ta dhum

Audio: Track 2 Obs: dhe dhum and ta dhum at the end, are played almost simultaneously, on the space of one stroke. Mantra used when the bhajan or kirtan are slow. Practical Progressive Exercises: Add one note at each time like on the audio. On the other notation would be like this: ta ti riti riti ta kiki ta ki *geDha duk dha duk dha dukge taGe

2 LESSON
(2 Mantra)

kat kat kat kat Dhum ta kat te dhum dha ta Dhe

Audio: Track 3

1 part
(mantra of introduction)

kat kat kat kat Dhum

Track 3 (00:45)

2 part
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ta kat te dhum dha ta Dhe

Track 3 (02:38) Practical Progressive Exercises: Add one note at each time like on the audio. Exercise for speed, base of the rhythm: ta ta te listen to Track 3 (07:00).

Passage from a mantra to the other:

You should play the second part of the next mantra. At the audio there is an example of passage from the second mantra to the first with the addition of the second part of the first mantra: dha dhe dha dhe dha dhe dhum ta dhum, listen Track 3 (10:10). On the other notation would be like this: toktok toktok Ge ta tok ti gedha ta Duk

PASSAGE MANTRA (or Connection) 3 LESSON

(3 Mantra)

kat kat te dhum dha (3X)

Audio: Track 4 Mantra used as a passage from a mantra to the other (connection mantra) and at the end of a song verse. Practical Progressive Exercises: Add one note at each time like on the audio. On the other notation would be like this: tokTok ti geDha (3X)

INTERMEDIATE MANTRA 4 LESSON

(4 Mantra)

dha dhe ta dhe ta ket kat

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Audio: Track 5 Practical Progressive Exercises: 1 Part: dha dhe ta dhe ta. 2 Part: ket kat. Swing mantra dancing, when the kirtan is not very fast. This 4 mantra suits well with the 2 mantra. On the other notation would be like this: dha duk ta duk ta tuk tok

STILL MANTRA 5 LESSON

(5 Mantra)

kat te kat te (3X) dhum dha te ta ta dhe ta te ta te dhum dha te ta ta dhe (3X) ta dhe ta dhe (3X)
Audio: Track 6

1 Part kat te kat te (3X) dhum dha te ta ta dhe

Track 6 (00:50)

2 Part ta te ta te dhum dha te ta ta dhe (3X)

Track 6 (01:48)

3 Part ta dhe ta dhe (3X)

Track 6 (02:50)

This is a break mantra, still. It is used when the kirtan is on a melody with breaks, listen Track 6 (03:00) On the other notation would be like this: tokti Tokti *(3X) geDha ti tata Duk tati tati *geDha ti tata Duk (3X) ta duk ta Duk (3X)

FAST MANTRA 6 LESSON

(6 Mantra)

ta dhum dha dha ta dhum dha ta

Audio: Track 7

1 Part ta dhum dha Dha

Track 7 (03:05)

2 Part ta dhum dha ta

Track 7 (03:32) Mantra used at end of Kirtans when the Kirtan is very fast. On the other notation would be like this: ta ge Dha Dha *ta geDha ta ==========////========= The present course was elaborated by Jivartha Dasa and was a Booklet with a K7 tape of audio. I converted the tape to MP3 and organized the Booklet transcribed some parts from the audio, dividing the mantras by speed and category and adding the other
notation from the course of Vipramukhya Dasa at the end of each lesson. I have also translated from the original in portuguese to english in february of 2012. The audios MP3 and this Booklet can be downloaded free at:

http://madhuramrdanga.4shared.com 9

The course of Vipramukhya Dasa can also be downloaded at the same link. (Publication, Translation and Organization by David Britto: radhesyamaji@yahoo.com.br, on august of 2007 with autorization from Jivartha Prabhu).

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