INDIAN MUSIC FORUM ARCHIVES: Sitar Forum: New Mangla has arrived

Russ, So re-tuning from c to c# wasn't the answer? Neal

In addition to your teak becoming deeper and fuller sounding, has the volume changed? My middle register Sa & Re sound muted and low volume. .nice and clear mind you, but low in sonic volume. Has that changed in a year?

Can't give a description in percentages but at mine is definetely sounding 'deeper'. At first with the teak, it was brighter and not as 'echoey' as the tun but now I find it's reversing and the tone becoming fuller (or is that 'more full'?) and not as bright although it is time to change the MA string. .

In addition to your teak becoming deeper and fuller sounding, has the volume changed? My middle register Sa & Re sound muted and low volume. .nice and clear mind you, but low in sonic volume. Has that changed in a year?

Can't give a description in percentages but at mine is definetely sounding 'deeper'. At first with the teak, it was brighter and not as 'echoey' as the tun but now I find it's reversing and the tone becoming fuller (or is that 'more full'?) and not as bright although it is time to change the MA string. .

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neal (Mar 03, 2002 04:20 p.m.):
Just got my teak Mangla checked by my teacher. Her comments were that the instrument sounded very muted. She actually used the term suppressed- as if the sound was not jumping off the instrument. From all I've read this seems to be normal. My question is how much of a change might I expect in a year or so. .25%, 50% change??? Just curious.

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I've had my Mangla for 4 months now, and after playing my fingers off, I am noticing sound changes, mostly in the timbre opening up a bit (more harmonics), but also the volume coming up just a bit too. So, two things are apparent. No two teaks will sound alike, regardless of string gauge or jawari. They really are unique. Plus, there is definitely a "break in" period for them. Lars says a year to optimize, and I believe he's right. But what really counts is play time, so get those hours in, and you should begin to hear the changes soon.

Just got back from training with Indrajit Banerjee, and I tell you, in one week, my teak Mangla has completely opened up. Every tarab is now singing its heart out, and the top strings are sounding very nice. No more muteness at all.

The secret? OK, first of all your strings must be in very good tune. Being off even a little bit can cause the the tarabs to be silent. Secondly, be forceful when you play. I've had a habit of tickling the strings, but that is not the way. Play them with authority and your Mangla will obediantly open up.

So, there you go. Lars was right all along. End of subject. Have fun!

Thanks for the update. I can imagine that precision tuning on a professional instrument is indeed more critical than on a generic instrument. I still need to really develop my tuning ear. It's a definite weakness for me.

When you strike the strings with more "ooomph" are you saying that playing with more authority makes the instrument sound bolder just temporarily while you are actually playing . . . or are you saying by doing the above, then over the long term it actually changes the sound of the wood, sawari etc. and elicits a permanent sonic change? Quite interesting. How did that come up?

PS How was the weeklong class with Indrajit?

Here is part of a Q&A interview with Pandit Mani Lal Nag last year:
Peter: "It is said in India that every instrument has it's own soul and that this soul grows with the musician as it is played by he or she. Do you think that this is true?�
Pandit Mani Lal Nag answers simply and directly "Yes, it is" is all he said and (I think) all he needed to say.
The pics. Of the concert and part of the interview may be seen at:
http://www.buckinghammusic.com/concerts/man/man.html.
If I were much younger I would break all ties with my over complicated world and sit on Baba Mani Lal�s doorstep not moving day or night until he finally took me in.
Perhaps when I'm 60 (I'm 58 this month) I may break the ties that bind me, as many Indians do, and turn away from this material world in time to attend to the next.
To me Baba Mani Lal is an expression of the infinite. A very advanced soul. It is my feeling he won't be back for another life in this sphere as there is no need.

In purely Western terms I suppose this improvement to an instrument can also be explained by the fact that one performs thousands of small adjustments over the years of being married to a sitar.
Although India has it's problems with many things they excel in patience. This sense of eternal patience may well be extended to all Indian instruments as they epitomize the truth of waiting as the marriage to a new instrument goes through all the usual stage of passion, fighting, and finally a long and loving journey through life together.
This sense of patience and loving care through time is difficult to convey to most Westerners without seeming patronizing as we are all used to instant gratification.
Eventually those who are wise learn this sense of patience, which may well be the most important fundamental thing India has to teach the Westerner.

To me every instrument, no matter how humble, has a sense of revererence to it. It is a holy thing that may expand the soul and senses if we but give it the chance� but to tell people they will have to wait a few weeks more as the instruments are late from India is a difficult thing as many people are at the fountain head and have yet to begin their journey to eternal patience (grin).

Playing with authority produces a physical change in the instrument, and is permanent. But this only works on a "professional" instrument. Can't tell you exactly why. Something to do with a physical change in the bridge jawari as the string cuts into it in a different way with forceful playing. You won't get the same effect on a "cheapie" instrument. It will still sound bad. . .
Week with Indrajit was more than I had hoped for. Changed my playing technique for the better, and his teaching ability is all one could hope for. So, obviously I'm a personal fan now.[/quote]

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jerry (May 14, 2002 12:45 p.m.):
Of course, Russ. I didn't mean to offend anyone. This was what he said and I think he was referring to me wiggling my index finger over the string rather than playing with all fingers together. I have nothing but admiration for all real sitar players, no matter which sex.
My index finger habit won't go away (as the bishop said to. . oh, never mind). I really must get myself taking proper lessons again.

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Russ (May 17, 2002 05:52 p.m.):
OK. If leaving it on all the time gives you incentive to play it often, then do that. But I don't think the second gourd has anything to do with any "seasoning" of the wood. Just gives slight amplification of the tarabs and seems to boost the midrange a bit too. Plus, Mangla's real-gourd tumbas look good too!

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neal (Apr 15, 2002 07:22 p.m.):
Lars,

In addition to your teak becoming deeper and fuller sounding, has the volume changed? My middle register Sa & Re sound muted and low volume. .nice and clear mind you, but low in sonic volume. Has that changed in a year?

Can't give a description in percentages but at mine is definetely sounding 'deeper'. At first with the teak, it was brighter and not as 'echoey' as the tun but now I find it's reversing and the tone becoming fuller (or is that 'more full'?) and not as bright although it is time to change the MA string. .

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If a sitar is 'echoey' or has a reverberant sound to it from the tabili area is this a desired effect? Is this a mark of a good sitar or a mediocre one? What should a great sitar sound like?