Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Jaane Kaisa Hai Mera Diwana

I am learning single notes playing from Manohar Vaidya, the maestro who plays any tune with perfection and minutest details on the harmonica. Till I heard him play, I was under the illusion that I could play good harmonica. But, I was hiding behind chords and vamping to shield my flaws. Once I started playing in single notes, I realized how difficult it is to take out any tune with perfection. One needs to not just completely internalize the tune but reproduce it on the harmonica. Here I have ventured to play a number from the film Aansu Ban Gaye Phool. Please comment on it so that I can improve. You need to click on the the first line of the song under the small icon given below to be able to listen to it.

jaane kaisa hai me...

4 comments:

Tapan Bhatt said...

Dear N D,
You ae asking ' Jaane Kaisa Hai Mera Diwana '
Hum Hai Na !!!
Are Yaar all of us your Diwana.
Single note always sounds sweet.
I think what you have been playing is original and more dynamic, which can be reduced if required but can not be stopped just like that.
You have always been saying that harmonica is an individual instrument and i am saying that every individual plays harmonica differently.
You know how to make a song sound more effective and that is your strength.
so pl train me just like you before changing your style.

AARKAY SABNAVEES said...

N.D sahab,

Its nice. Single note sounds amazing as rightly said by tapan sahab. You get solidness of the tone by this. In your play it would have been still better if you could have not used ' TOUNGING' effect. This effect was not proper. Please dont misunderstand me sir. I am putting my views only.

Unknown said...

Beautiful.....maza aa gaya Nachiketa.

Chandrashekhar said...

Dear Nachiketa ji,
This is an old post. However, I wish to share some views on the comments that you have put before your performance. You say - "But, I was hiding behind chords and vamping to shield my flaws. Once I started playing in single notes, I realized how difficult it is to take out any tune with perfection."
I have a different point of view. Vamping and tonguing is not meant to shield flaws. It is to enhance the effect. It is tough to master those techniques. The uniqueness of this instrument is the ability to provide rhythm while simultaneously playing the leads. The true test is to be able to play both without killing the fineries that a single note player can provide. Can you play chords on a flute? Or can a guitar be able to show the fineries of the vocals? No. It is only harmonica that does that. While I do not wish to get into a debate of what is better - single note playing or chords, I would still emphasise that without exploring the entire range that this instrument provides, is like having only rotli or only kadhi from a Gujarati thali !! It just does not make any sense to have a gujju thali then.