Message 25/32
Date: 13-Mar-02 @ 07:26 PM -
RE: eastern scales
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Sounds like Sitar's given you the basic information you need about bending notes. I think the different characters of the raags are fascinating and I'm learning to recognize the characteristic ornaments in a few of them. I also think it's worth learning from a real teacher if you're seriously interested in Eastern music.
But for now if you want to just create an Eastern sounding scale in a simple way, play with flatting the 7th, then with flatting the 3rd. Then even try flatting the 2nd. See what you like, what sounds appropriate for the mood of your tune. Personally, I find that the time-of-day designations for the raags make sense somehow. In general, raags with a flatted 3rd & 7th (&/or? Sitar?), the Purvang Rags, fall between 9pm and 3am, which is perfect for lots of electronic music. And I recall reading some Ravi Shankar liner notes where he said he liked to use the flatted 2nd & flatted 7th a lot because they helped create transcendent states. Use with respect. I'll never forget (at least the basic idea of) that story about Narada where he was brought to see the beautiful beings, the Raagas, he had been unwittingly torturing by playing badly. I'm sure that tale is very effective at getting earnest young ones to practice.