If anyone can help me with this concern i would greatly appreciate it. Sorry for the long message. .
You know how when you (well most people) play tirakita ta, they play (middle finger on ink, then index finger on ink, then flat left hand, then middle finger on ink, and then index finger on rim (for Ta)? Well, at least that's how i play it. In rapid succession, it gives a 'machine gun' effect.
Whenever I see anyone else that has been playing for a long time, however, their hands seem to do this reverse thing in almost a circular motion where the thirakita's seem to come a lot easier. It seems like the motion of the fingers and hands rely LESS on the muscles in their fingers, and MORE on a circular motion with their wrist, and their fingers just fall into place. So, it seems like the form contributes a lot because if you use the muscles in your fingers like i do, you become speed- limited, and you fatigue after a few of them, but i know that these other people can keep going for hours if they wanted to because of their form; it requires very little effort.
So, my question then is, what is the form that everyone uses that makes the tirakita ta's come out so smooth and quick? And also, while playing fast is their any trick to keep your "kat"s from hitting at the same time as any of your other notes with your right hand?. .because if this happens you hear less notes per tirakita ta. I know that practice helps with speed, but if the form is wrong, then the speed is very limited too.
Hello,
My thoughts:
Many people make it easier by replacing the 4th note finger 2 by finger 3 or 3 and 4 together, similar to a form of "ne". This allows more natural floating motion for the hand.
However, I was told not to abandon practising fingers. You can't avoid training fingers and it should be the base of your technique. Yes, the waving is there to give softness but it's a plus when you can hit the basic stroke.
All the best.
I agree with KrsnaDas and Alien, Okay here is my technical lowdown version to master rapid movement.
Imagine that when playing TiRaKiTTaK your wrist moves in an anti clockwise direction (well slightly oval). Using the clock analogy as an arbituary example,
Ti starts at 4 o'clock with the elbow slighty out
Ra at 2 o'clock
Ki at 12 o'clock
T at 10 o'clock with elbow moving in
Ta at 8 o'clock with elbow still moving in
K at 6 o'clock with elbow at mid point between out and in
The Elbow movement should be limited between the 1st bol (outwards) and the 4th bol (Inwards)
So now you have the 6 bols equally separated by time, circular motion of the wrist in anti-clockwise direction and the elbow as a fulcrum moving in and out (also a bit like a train wheel (the wrist motion) being turned by a piston the (the elbow). Therefore if the piston and the wheel is not synchronised you will de-rail.
Merry XMas to all and a thank you to the Courtneys for inspiring this forum.
