A research by scientists and percussionists to standardise materials, methods of making mridangam.

A research by scientists and percussionists to standardise materials, methods of making mridangam.

The scientific quest for perfect mridangam was spurred by veteran mridangam exponent Umayalpuram K. Sivaraman, who sought to know whether it was possible to engineer a travel-friendly mridangam instrument that can be dismantled and reassembled later that would maintain the perfect "sruthi" in any hall ambience.
Delivering the Prof. Y.Nayudamma Memorial Lecture on 'Science in Music' at the Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI) recently, T. Ramasami, Secretary, Department of Science and technology (DST), said the collaborative project that fused art and science sought to explain the correlation between the chemistry of components used to make the mridangam and the musical outcome.
According to Dr. Ramasami, the mridangam project draws a parallel with scientific investigations in the West to unravel the mystique shrouding Violin. The similarities between the mridangam and the violin that had been accepted into the Carnatic ensemble included the complex composition of materials and closely guarded familial know-how involved. He pointed out that even after decades of research... scientists were unable to explain the correlation between composition of materials and methods of making violin and mridangam with the musical outcome.
Most of the artisans involved in making the instrument aim only at making money, severely affecting the quality of the instrument that is produced which has an adverse impact on the musical outcome. No doubt, there may be one artisan who would do his job fine, but one has to search for them like a task of finding a needle in sea. This is my opinion out of my (Sanatorium Sriram Venkataraman) own experience as a mridangist.
So, the quest for scientific methods of making the instrument is all the need of the hour as rightly initiated by mridangist Umayalpuram K. Sivaraman. There is so much Chemistry Physics and Mathematics awaiting the investigation of scientists. For example, the mridangam project involves investigating the musical impact of the materials such as Goatskin parchments, minerals such as Oxides of Manganese, Magnesium and Titanium and an array of adhesives.
Dr. Ramasami called for restoring the soul and passion in science that was increasingly getting straitjacketed as a "system-driven pursuit". A fusion of art and science could bring back the passion for original research. He said, "apart from bringing together artists and scientists, the mridangam project was important in ensuring the presence of the mridangam for posterity, as families of artisans engaged in making the instruments were a vanishing clan".

how to tune a Mridangam

Mridangam Sruthi-Maatha Layam-Pitha Thaalam-Guru

Mridangam is an important 'Percussion Instrument' used in all forms of Carnatic Music concerts, the widely known 'South Indian Classical Music'. The South Indian percussion instrument MRIDANGAM became internationally acclaimed global percussion instrument.. Mridangam (also spelled as Mridhangam. Alternate spellings are, mridanga, mrudangam, mrdangam, mrdangam mrithangam, miruthangam and mirudhangam) makes a concert complete with soothing rhythm enhancing the overall concert with a unique naadham called "Chaapu". Naadham is the term for sound (musical notes) that has the quality of sruthi and pleasant musical vibration in it.(This definition is by Sriram Venkataraman © Copyright 2007-2014). Chaapu naadham, Meetu naadham and Thoppi must be tuned in such a manner that produces an excellent sound. Chaapu Naadham and Meetu naadham must be in the same pitch (that is, in the same note). Thoppi naadham can either be equal to Chaapu naadham or one octave less than that of chaapu naadham. Tuning is itself an art, then comes playing the instrument with an ecstatic sound. Playing the instrument with perfect fingering technique is a must for a mridangist in order to produce proper nadham. Sound interesting isn't it?

How to tune a mridangam?
Tuning is an art that can be mastered by a systematic practice in steps mentioned below:
Maintain the mridangam by repairing it to the best condition with the help of a good repairer. Things required for tuning:
Chromatic Pitch Pipe, small stone, small wooden Stick called"pullu" (made to a size similar to an adult Index finger). Now follow the steps mentioned below:
1. Play the pitch pipe after selecting the pitch needed while simultaneously playing the chapu on the mridangam.
2. Now compare if it matches with the pitch pipe.
3. If the pitch of the mridangam is less, then hold the wooden stick on that particular point on the mootu (between the leather straps) and beat it on the top of the stick with the stone.
4. If the pitch is higher, hold the wooden stick at the bottom of the mootu (between the leather straps) and beat it with the stone from below upwards on the stick.
5. Repeat the process on all sides of the karanai till the pitch matches with the pitch pipe.
6. Matching "meetu naadham" and "Chaapu naadham" requires another step in the tuning process, explained below in the topic "How to match Meetu and Chaapu?" One can use Harmonium or Electronic Tambura or Electronic Sruthi Box, instead of pitch pipe. One can gradually gain 'Sruthi Jnana' by experience so as to accurately tune the mridangam.

How to match Meetu and Chaapu?
Matching meetu and chaapu requires a step that involves the adjustment of "Black Patch" (so called "Soru" or "Saadham"). When meetu is less than chaapu, a small portion of "soru" has to be removed from the center. To do this, twist small piece of cloth like a thick thread and wet it, so that the cloth is just moist enough to be applied circularly on the center of the "soru" to a diameter of around 1 to 1 ½ cm (circumference 3 to 4 ½ cm). See to it that water does not go deep. Just moisture on the surface of the black patch is enough. Now scrap this portion alone with a small blade so that, the black patch (to a minute/thin) layer is shredded. Repeat the procedure till meetu naadham sounds equal to that of Chaapu naadham.
When the Meetu naadham is higher than chaapu, add small layer of black patch at the center to the size mentioned above. Rub this portion with a polished stone to dry it. Applying this small portion of black patch requires experience. You may want to know more about "Black Patch" by reading the topic "Parts Dimensions of Mridangam" If the black patch (Soru) is applied properly and tuning is done as mentioned above, the Chaapu sound will produce an excellent vibration. Chaapu is the key sound, that differentiates with other percussion instruments. Hence chappu playing techniques must be learnt in an accurate manner from a maestro. Meetu naadham is the sound produced when playing the alphabet "Nam". Chaapu in this context is equal to playing the alphabet "Thin" or "Thim" played using index finger holding ring finger at the end of soru.. Actual "Chaapu" is played using little finger. The lesson "Na Thin Thin Na" is the best example of how it would sound. (Na = Nam). Audio demo is in the 'mridangam classes' page.

How to tune Thoppi?
Tune "thoppi" to the corresponding pitch of "Karanai" as mentioned above. Things needed for tuning thoppi.
1. Wooden Stick "Pullu" as mentioned above.
2. Another wooden stick measuring around 8 inches in length and thickness of around 1 to 1 ½ inches is needed. This stick must be tapered at one end like a scale to a length of around 2 inches from the end. This is also called "Aapu".
If the pitch has to be increased, use "Pullu". This has to be placed between the leather straps on the mootu and beat it with the stone on the stick. Do it on all the sides equally. If the pitch has to be decreased, use "Aapu". Insert the Aapu between the mridangam wood and the third layer of the mootu, on the side view of the mridangam. Now beat it with the stone on the Aapu so that, it moves a little inside the third layer, to the extent that it does not touch the fixed mootu. Then check if the thoppi sounds good on all the sides. Repeat the procedure on the sides that require reducing or increasing the pitch, so that the thoppi sounds equally well on all sides. One has to gain experience to produce "Guna Saptha" in mridangam. This can be achieved by direct training through Mridangam Lessons by a maestro. writed by amal sekhar