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Lesson 2: Dayan Bols
INTRODUCTION
Throughout
time, education in India was executed through the system called gurukula. The gurukula (lit. “family of guru”)
system was a system of apprenticeship and disciples. A student seeking
knowledge goes to the guru’s house in search for knowledge. The eager student
serves the guru in many ways, while the guru takes care and provides for his or
her needs. After the guru is satisfied with his or her service, the guru gives
knowledge to the student. This system, although not as prevalent, is found in
some places today.
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
VIDEO (DIDACTIC):
VIDEO (PRACTICAL):
UPDATED:
December 21, 2009