Indian folk music sites??

Subject: Indian folk music sites??
From: Peter T.
Date: 05 May 01 - 10:21 AM

Anyone know of a good place/book/site about Indian and Sri Lanka folk music? I really have no idea what I am asking ofr, but I have suddenly come into possession of a simple bansuri flute and think it would be fun to learn a few songs.
yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: Indian folk music sites??
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 06 May 01 - 05:47 PM

This slipped off the page with the Mudcat crash, and it's a query that I'd like to see an answer to. So refresh...

Subject: RE: Indian folk music sites??
From: Bert
Date: 06 May 01 - 05:50 PM

Try your local Asian grocer. They often have cassettes, news of concerts and classes and maybe even videos.

Subject: RE: Indian folk music sites??
From: katlaughing
Date: 06 May 01 - 06:00 PM

These both look like good sites to start with, Peter:

Folk Music of India and,

Beat of Indian

I happend to go into a room on Paltalk called Sacred Music of India one night and it was marvelous. I've since tried to get in and it is now a locked room and I've not way fo getting the password. Paltalk won't even forward a request to the room admin. They were very accomplished singers and very gracious hosts.

This should be very interesting as threads go...thanks.

kat

Subject: RE: Indian folk music sites??
From: GUEST
Date: 06 May 01 - 08:02 PM

Peter,

Are you aware that Indian scales are completely different to western ones?

Similarly, Indian musical notation is completely different to the western style that you may be used to.

Indian folk song cannot be notated in western notation.

Sorry for being of no help at all

GUEST

Subject: RE: Indian folk music sites??
From: Peter T.
Date: 06 May 01 - 09:04 PM

This site appears to be the best of the recommended. It appears that there are at least 10 modes, some of which can be related (in spite of GUEST's remarks) to Western modes, though there are obvious differences, since they are not well-tempered. As a rough approximation (certainly my Indian flute book happily makes the approximation), one of the modes, called Bilawal, would (on a C scale) have, as Indian notes (the stuff inside the brackets is the longer name):

Sa (Shadj) = C
Re (Rishabh) = D
Ga (Gandar) = E
Ma (Madhyam) = F
Pa (?) = G
Dha (Dhairait) = A
Nee (Nishad) = B

Other modes, such as Kammaj, approx. to Mixolydian.

Well, it is a start. Thanks to all: any advice helpful. I can at least begin to decipher my book. Now if I could just find some flute music, and some cowgirls.

yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: Indian folk music sites??
From: Peter T.
Date: 06 May 01 - 09:41 PM

Pa=Pancham. It appears that Sa and Pa are a perfect 5th, and they are the only two notes that cannot be flatted or sharped. The tunes, etc., seem to be shaped by other criteria, including: 1) other modes;
2) numbers of notes;
3) ascending, descending;
4) "emotional" colourings

yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: Indian folk music sites??
From: katlaughing
Date: 06 May 01 - 09:48 PM

Here are a few more links which should lead to books, Peter:

India Music Books

Scholarly Books on Indian Music

iMusic India lots of films and classics to listen to and much, much more (i am listening to some beautiful music right now on Radio India, from this site.

Books on Indian Music and Dance looks as though it is the best place to find actual music with cassettes for help in learning.

Subject: RE: Indian folk music sites??
From: Peter T.
Date: 06 May 01 - 10:04 PM

Thanks, kat. I am going to check out the music library for some of these titles. yours, Peter T.