Learn Nuances of Rhythm for All - Percussionist, Vocalists, and Dancers

Q: What if a student is unable to attend an upcoming class?

The student is required to inform the teacher about his absence from a particular session, two days prior to the class. In such a case, the teacher will reschedule the class and conduct the rescheduled class on or before the end (i.e. Saturday) of the ensuing week or such other time as may be mutually decided between the teacher and the student. In case the student misses to give two days prior notice about his absence to the teacher, then the decision to conduct another class for that student is completely based on the teacher’s discretion.

Q: How long will a teacher take to revert to students’ queries after class hours?

Students should get a response within 24 hours if the teacher is not preoccupied or traveling.

Q: What if the teacher wishes to reschedule a class?

In case the teacher is unavailable for the scheduled class, he/she will inform the students two days prior to the class. The teacher will conduct the rescheduled class on or before the end (i.e. Saturday) of the ensuing week or such other time as may be mutually decided between the teacher and the student.

Beginner

by Bombay C N Balaji

40 Years Experience

Performed at Pandit Bhimsen Joshi’s Sawai Gandharva festival in Pune & in the USA, Middle East, Sri Lanka, and more.

US $24 per class |

for 1-on-1, 45 mins class

Recommended: 2 classes per week | 12-16 weeks to level up

Pay as you go, 2 classes at a time

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Instruction Language

: English

Course Summary

Teacher's Profile

About the Course

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Course Summary

Would it not be fascinating to learn and understand rhythm, as practiced in Indian Music in general, and particularly South Indian Classical Music?

Here is a great opportunity to be part of a very structured and methodical way of understanding the rhythmic nuances, offered by renowned musician and experienced Guru Vidwan Bombay C N Balaji.

This is a beginners course and is available for all who are interested to know and appreciate rhythm. So, this course is open to learners across all performing arts disciplines, including vocal music, dance and percussion.

Classes will involve students to recite the rhythmic pattern vocally. Numbers, which we are all so familiar with, will be the starting point for these recitations.

Once that is understood, the equivalent rhythmic patterns for the numbers, will be used to recite the various structured exercises. These exercises involve simple, medium and advanced level rhythmic patterns at varying speeds.

Finally, there will be a deeper understanding of how this rhythm fits seamlessly into a.particular song. The song could be anything from a daily chant, a film song, a ghazal, a bhajan, an abhang, or a Carnatic classical Kriti, which will be demonstrated by the Guru. Understanding the inherent rhythmic aspect of the song, makes one appreciate the melody and rhythm of the song that much more profoundly.

At the successful completion of this course, the student is free to decide on whether to pursue this further by actually learning to play all these and more rhythmic patterns in the king of the percussion instrument “Mridangam”. The courses in this regard, for a.beginner, intermediate, advanced and professional levels are offered separately by Bombay C N Balaji.

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Teacher's Profile

Bombay C N Balaji

Experience: 40 Years

From: India

Teacher Skill Keywords
Mridangam

About the Course

The highlights of this course include -

Understanding Rhythm - You will learn what rhythm is. And why is it central to all art forms? You will be introduced to tala cycles in Indian music. You will understand how rhythm is an integral part of dance, vocal and instrumental music, and daily life in general.
Numbers as the Building Blocks - You will learn to recite simple numbers (1–8) in steady pulse. You will gain a good understanding of “beat” vs. “tempo.” Clapping and counting exercises for awareness of time cycles.
Converting Numbers to Rhythm - As you move forward, mapping numbers to syllables (e.g., ta, ka, dhi, mi). Simple recitations in slow tempo.
Progressive Exercises - You will learn structured exercises at different tempos - slow, medium, and fast. Slowly you will learn to improvise your recitation through small variations.
Understanding Adi Tala (8 Beat Cycle) - You will learn the Adi Tala through physical gestures such as clap, wave, and counts.
Chatusra Gathi - Under this topic, you learn reciting ta ka dhi mi (4 units per beat). exercises in slow, medium, and fast tempos and short compositions in Chatusra gathi.
Thisra Gathi - This includes reciting 3 units per beat - ta ki ta (3 units per beat). You will learn to practice it at varying speeds.
Rhythm in Songs - You will learn to identify rhythmic cycles in different genres, including daily chants, Bhajans & Abhangs, Ghazals & Film songs and Carnatic Kritis. In this session, your teacher will demonstrate rhythm fitting into melodies.
Practical Exercises - You will practice by clapping and reciting along with simple songs. Recognition of eduppu (starting point of rhythm in a song). How rhythm enhances melodic appreciation.
Way Forward - After learning in depth about rhythm and temp, you will discuss with your teacher and explore how to advance into percussion learning. Introduction to Mridangam for those who want to pursue instrumental training.

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.