Well said:
Don't you think limiting a music form to such rules like raagams are very bad for creativity and improvization.
For example, in western music, there is like F major or Bflat scales and so many such stuff. These are equivalent of the raagams in carnatic music i think...
However, even if I compose a song in say F major I can always put sharp or flat or neutral note wherever whenever i want.
If I understand carnatic music properly (please correct me), then say I'm composing in raagam A (I dont know even one raagam's name) where its "srgm#pdns" (where # stands for sharp) I can't include a note say p# or d_flat in the tune.
Won't that hurt creativity?
Won't that also cause repetition?
For example, in western music, there is like F major or Bflat scales and so many such stuff. These are equivalent of the raagams in carnatic music i think...
However, even if I compose a song in say F major I can always put sharp or flat or neutral note wherever whenever i want.
If I understand carnatic music properly (please correct me), then say I'm composing in raagam A (I dont know even one raagam's name) where its "srgm#pdns" (where # stands for sharp) I can't include a note say p# or d_flat in the tune.
Won't that hurt creativity?
Won't that also cause repetition?
Narayanan
@ well
you are right. but everything our ancestors have done had a meaning. if you accept this and search for the real underlying meaning, u will be wondering how gr8 they were.
our raagas are not just swara patterns. each and every raaga has got a swarupam (form), and a unique effect it has on human mind. so messing too much with a raga will not help either auditory pleasure or the subconscious effect it is supposed to have.
there is also another reason. in western or hindustani, there are very limited scales and raagas. in western there are only few scales major, minor etc. and all the creativity of variations and experiments should happen within these scales.
but in carnatic music we have done all the experiments and given a separate name for each experiment. it is called a ragam. there are innumerable raagas and u can also create one.
so the experiment is also complete and the same experiment can be pursued by others to enjoy its result or even come out with a better result.
so, if u play srgm#pdns, which i assume to be the grand scale , id est kalyani in our carnatic system, if u introduce p# (dha1)it becomes another raaga 'lathangi' and it has a vast scope to be a separate raaga. so why just have a little variation played for a little time, instead of a grand treat for a longer time as a separate raaga with aalapana and swaraprasthaaram. wouldn't it be better.
so, the creativity and experimentation is full and complete in our system. they call it experimentation and creativity in the same scale. we call it a separate raga. that's the difference.
our raagas are not just swara patterns. each and every raaga has got a swarupam (form), and a unique effect it has on human mind. so messing too much with a raga will not help either auditory pleasure or the subconscious effect it is supposed to have.
there is also another reason. in western or hindustani, there are very limited scales and raagas. in western there are only few scales major, minor etc. and all the creativity of variations and experiments should happen within these scales.
but in carnatic music we have done all the experiments and given a separate name for each experiment. it is called a ragam. there are innumerable raagas and u can also create one.
so the experiment is also complete and the same experiment can be pursued by others to enjoy its result or even come out with a better result.
so, if u play srgm#pdns, which i assume to be the grand scale , id est kalyani in our carnatic system, if u introduce p# (dha1)it becomes another raaga 'lathangi' and it has a vast scope to be a separate raaga. so why just have a little variation played for a little time, instead of a grand treat for a longer time as a separate raaga with aalapana and swaraprasthaaram. wouldn't it be better.
so, the creativity and experimentation is full and complete in our system. they call it experimentation and creativity in the same scale. we call it a separate raga. that's the difference.
