Basics of Mridangam for Beginners

This course will begin with a brief introduction to tala structure in the Carnatic music system. Afterwards, Mr Balaji will guide students through proper finger placement and playing posture. Once these lessons have been practiced and committed to muscle memory, Balaji will begin implementing primary mridangam lessons. These lessons include basic level practices that students will use for the duration of this educational series. These practices will help students build their awareness of rhythm through Mridangam.

As part of an educational series, this course’s prerequisite is Bombay C N Balaji’s first course, 'Introduction to Mridangam Music and Rhythm'. Upon enrollment, instructor Balaji will conduct an assessment to ensure retention of the lessons in the previous course. Successful completion will prepare students for Bombay C N Balaji’s next course in the series, 'Intermediate Mridangam'.

ABOUT THE TEACHER: Bombay C N Balaji is a renowned mridangam player with 40 years of experience in the field. After decades of learning from gurus, Bombay C N Balaji has a deep respect for the relationship between student and instructor. He expects full commitment from his students as he guides them through the process of learning the components required to be a great mridangam player. Beginning his studies in his youth, Balaji first performed with professional artists at the age of eleven accompanying the violin maestro Prof. T N Kirshnan and A grade artist from All India Radio, Prasar Bharati. Balaji has performed with many musical exponents while touring in the USA, Far East, Middle East, and Sri Lanka. Balaji has also given numerous lectures and demonstrations encompassing the intricacies of rhythm and highlighting the greatness of legendary percussion artists in the field.