Hi
I have been practising bansuri myself for past one year. I never had an opportunity to be with a master even for a day. So I have never seen a good player playing in real. But videos over the internet helped me a lot. I play mostly film songs. My problem is this. when i try to play pa and da of madhya saptak. (xxx xxx, xxx xxo) with double breath, I am getting some airy disturbance. But the note is continuous. Just that it has that hizzing sound associated, and hence a low volume. The higher notes are clearer and better. And the lower notes are also better. Also i am unable to get the transition from ma to pa very smoothly. coz one is opening all fingers and the other is closing all fingers. I have been practicing to get these right for the past one month. But no change. I have been playing the same bansuri over a long period. Hope some one had a similar experience during their learning, and would be able to suggest something.
Thanking you..
The airy sound
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by manu » Tue Jan 22, 2008 12:42 pm
Hi
The problems that you mentioned are faced by every person who tries to play the bansuri at some stage or the other. It's absolutely normal for you to get airy sound or find it difficult to transition from ma to pa. I would suggest you don't loose patience and keep practicing. These things seem like a big hurdle but with practice and correct technique you can overcome them.
Feel free to experiment. Try moving the blowing hole closer or further from your lips. try a different angle. play in front of a mirror. You need to experiment to get the right position for you. And only you can find out what works for you.
One tip I have for you is that you should record whatever you are playing. You don't need good equipment just record on something simple... with a mic on your computer perhaps.... then keep practicing for a week or so and then record again... then compare the two recordings and you will be surprised at how much improvement you have made. That's one technique that's helped me a lot in staying motivated....
All the best!
Manu
The problems that you mentioned are faced by every person who tries to play the bansuri at some stage or the other. It's absolutely normal for you to get airy sound or find it difficult to transition from ma to pa. I would suggest you don't loose patience and keep practicing. These things seem like a big hurdle but with practice and correct technique you can overcome them.
Feel free to experiment. Try moving the blowing hole closer or further from your lips. try a different angle. play in front of a mirror. You need to experiment to get the right position for you. And only you can find out what works for you.
One tip I have for you is that you should record whatever you are playing. You don't need good equipment just record on something simple... with a mic on your computer perhaps.... then keep practicing for a week or so and then record again... then compare the two recordings and you will be surprised at how much improvement you have made. That's one technique that's helped me a lot in staying motivated....
All the best!
Manu
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manu - Site Admin
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by Paul » Fri Feb 15, 2008 8:57 am
Prapanj,
Like you, I've only been playing for a few weeks too and have run into those same problems. Manu's advice is great, and it seems like everyday I discover new things. Trying to to transition from ma to PA is a challenge...I try to play a thaat ascending in one continuous breath ( I think its called meend...not sure) and get a loud squeak. It gets a laugh out of my wife. Tonight I realized instead of dropping all 3 fingers of my right hand to achieve Pa...I instead smoothly roll them down in a 3-2-1 order. Still a bit squeaky but I think it might lead to something. Give it a try.
Like you, I've only been playing for a few weeks too and have run into those same problems. Manu's advice is great, and it seems like everyday I discover new things. Trying to to transition from ma to PA is a challenge...I try to play a thaat ascending in one continuous breath ( I think its called meend...not sure) and get a loud squeak. It gets a laugh out of my wife. Tonight I realized instead of dropping all 3 fingers of my right hand to achieve Pa...I instead smoothly roll them down in a 3-2-1 order. Still a bit squeaky but I think it might lead to something. Give it a try.
- Paul
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- Joined: Wed Feb 13, 2008 8:35 am
- Location: Phoenix, Arizona
hi Prapanj.
by Nati » Sat Mar 08, 2008 4:28 pm
english it is not my language, so i hope i`ll be undrestood.
it is a good thing that you`re hearing the "problems" in your sound.
a good monitoring is an essential tool!
perhaps you dont know, but it is strongly recomended to practice long, single note. while you do so, you will need to search, and experience diffrent ways to produce the sound.
the sound, in all side-flute, is generatored by the air flow, spliting into two, by the edge of the far part of the blowing hole.
knowing so, try to send an alliptic, lieing flow, so it will be convenient for the far edge to split it accurately.
another thing is that it is possible to play PA whitout closing the 1st hole (0xx-xxx). in fact, it is easyer to play this not like that. this is very helpfull in the begining!
regarding to the passage from MA to PA.
using the oxx-xxx fingering will help (less fingers).
plus, you should practice only this two note, over and over again.
and one mor thing, and important one, when you practice long PA (to concider the topice) practice olso on lossing your finger - focus on make it more and more convinient and natural, to space your fingers, and closing the hole`s easely.
when the spacing will be natural, it will be much easyer to pass from MA to PA.
when we say good luck in hebrew, we say `with success`
it is a good thing that you`re hearing the "problems" in your sound.
a good monitoring is an essential tool!
perhaps you dont know, but it is strongly recomended to practice long, single note. while you do so, you will need to search, and experience diffrent ways to produce the sound.
the sound, in all side-flute, is generatored by the air flow, spliting into two, by the edge of the far part of the blowing hole.
knowing so, try to send an alliptic, lieing flow, so it will be convenient for the far edge to split it accurately.
another thing is that it is possible to play PA whitout closing the 1st hole (0xx-xxx). in fact, it is easyer to play this not like that. this is very helpfull in the begining!
regarding to the passage from MA to PA.
using the oxx-xxx fingering will help (less fingers).
plus, you should practice only this two note, over and over again.
and one mor thing, and important one, when you practice long PA (to concider the topice) practice olso on lossing your finger - focus on make it more and more convinient and natural, to space your fingers, and closing the hole`s easely.
when the spacing will be natural, it will be much easyer to pass from MA to PA.
when we say good luck in hebrew, we say `with success`
- Nati
- Posts: 15
- Joined: Sat Mar 08, 2008 3:39 pm
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