Krsna Kirtana Songs est. 2001 www.kksongs.org
Lesson 2: Dayan Bols
INTRODUCTION
Throughout
time, education in
Music
was taught in this manner. However, they did not have books, notebooks, sheet
music, tape recorders, or the internet to record the guru’s teachings.
Everything was done strictly through memory. In order to assist memory in
learning percussion instruments, bols
were taught. A bol is a syllable that is used to describe a sound produced by a
drum. The word “bol” literally means to “speak.” (Like “Hari Bol” means “Speak
the name of Hari!”) Music philosophers would often say that the instrument is
speaking when played properly. People tend to use the word mantra in place of
bol, but it is not preferable to interchange. Bols are more specific, while
mantra refers to an incantation, rather then minor syllables. Hence, we will
discuss mridanga bols and khol bols, not mantras.
This
week we will examine dayan bols. There are actually a good number of bols that
are on the dayan, but only a few will be examined.
RESONANCE VS. NONRESONANCE
Resonant
sounds are sounds that are open and full of sound emanating from the puri.
Nonresonant sounds are closed sounds with minimal or no sounds that emanate
from the puri. In looking at the dayan bols, there will be two open bols and
three closed bols.
OPEN BOLS – Full of resonance
tā
This
bol is played by taking the index finger and striking the dayan on the syahi or
maidan and syahi border. This is one of the most fundamental sounds that is
found on the khol. This bol can almost dictate whether one can produce clean
and resonant bols. This bol should sound nice and resonant. Be sure to loosen
fingers and allow an attack, as stiff fingers will produce a partially resonant
to a nonresonant sound. The fingers should effortless bounce back up.
Click
on the puri to hear how tā sounds like.
nā
The nā bol is played
by striking the kinar. This should be produce a sound very similar to tā,
but softer. Click on the puri to hear the sound of the nā bol.
CLOSED BOLS – Lack of resonance
tī
This
bol is a closed one: It is played by taking the middle, ring, and pinky fingers
and striking the syahi with the maidan and kinnar along the way. Very little
resonance should come out from the puri. As the photo shows, the fingers are
striking towards the bottom half of the puri. Listen to the audio clip on the
puri and hear how ti is played.
ra
The
bol “ra” is best described as a transition from “ti.” As you simultaneously
remove the three “ti” fingers off, take the index fingers and strike it
off-center the syahi to the left of the “ti” position. You will see that this
bol is a closed one: It is played by taking the index finger and striking the
syahi slightly off-center. Be sure not to go too far off the syahi that it
almost enters maidan territory. While “ra” is commonly played after “ti”, the
“ra” should be easily produced independently.
te
This is just like ra,
except it is with the middle finger on the center of the syahi. The index and
ring fingers are sticking up. This should produce one of the most nonresonant
sounds on the khol. Practice with listening and playing te. Then compare all of
the nonresonant sounds to hear subtle differences. Due to the way your khol was
made, some of the subtleties may not be heard that well.
EXERCISES:
It is only useful to test
what you know. Here are small clusters of bols to get you some practice.
1. tā tā ti
2. ti ra ti ra
3. tā ti tā tā ti nā
4. tā te ra tā te ra tā
5. nā ti nā ti ra ti ra