Current page : Combination Theory
The combination theory is a closely guarded secret and I believe it is the first time it is being openly published .No body knows any thing about the "genius" who discovered it but I have heard carnatic musicians talk about "Sruthi Bedam " (meaning change of octave) , but the flute is practically one of the very few instruments that needs to practice this theory while playing extensively . I believe that is what makes playing south Indian Film song backgrounds so difficult .-- And that is also the reason why there are so few light flute players around . To fully appreciate the theory one has to start playing a few tunes in these film songs .
A SIMPLE EXAMPLE OF THE COMBINATION THEORY
Can you believe that if two flautists sat together and played different notes on different flutes of different octaves the listener would hear only one SOUND ?Sounds unbelievable doesn't it !
This is how it works . For example if Flautist A was asked to play the note Saaa in a C octave Flute (carnatic one) he would have to play with the first two holes closed and the rest would be open . If flautist B was asked to play the note Paaa on a F octave flute flute (carnatic four) he would have to play with all the first five holes closed . But the sound the listener would hear would be one !
COMBINATION THEORY IN PRACTICE
The basic point to note is that in a "light" South Indian film song and in Indian film songs in general a number of flutes are used in a single song . It is rare to find a song where one only one flute is used .It is very rare to find a song in which the flautist uses only one flute that too a flute in the same octave of the song . However there are instances when the flautist uses the same octave flute in which the song is based ie "samam" .
FLUTES REQUIRED FOR APPLYING THE THEORY
To apply this theory one must have a full set of:--
TWELVE MIDDLE OCTAVE SIX holed Hindustani flutes, starting from ONE to SEVEN sruthis
in Carnatic music terminology or C to B in Western music terminology .
TWELVE BASS OCTAVE SIX HOLED HINDUSTANI BASE FLUTES ,
starting from ONE to SEVEN sruthis in carnatic music terminology or C to B in Western music terminology .
and FIVE SHARP OCTAVE (SMALL) FLUTES ,
starting from ONE to THREE sruthis in Carnatic music terminology or C to E in Western music terminology .
THE CONVERGENCE OF NOTES
As we know instrumental music is produced by a combination of 144 notes .
Twelve notes per octave multiplied by twelve octaves . And any note in any octave will equal some other note in some other octave . Though it is theoretically possible to produce a long tune played in flute D with "gamakas "in flute E or flute G or for the matter in any other flute in practice it would be difficult or impossible to do so.
The combination theory is however solves this problem by recommending the best combination for each octave .
It is as simple as that .
USING THE CHART -- EXPLAINED IN ANOTHER MANNER
I am now asking you to do the following :--
(1) Pick up a C (sruthi 1 ) flute and play Saa with two fingers closed , rest open .NEXT ,
(2) Pick up a D sruthi 2 ) flute and play Nee with three fingers closed ,rest open ,NEXT ,
(3) Pick up a F (sruthi 4 ) flute and play Paa with five fingers closed , rest open , NEXT,
(4) Pick up a G (sruthi 5 ) flute and play Maa with all fingers closed OR Ist finger open
and the rest closed , NEXT
(5) pick up a D# (sruthi 2 & 1/2 ) flute and play Daa with four fingers closed, rest open .
The notes you produce from step 1,2,3,4, and 5 will be the same .
You must now realize that you will be able to reproduce the same notes that you used to play in "Samam" from a number of other flutes as well .
Let us now proceed to play Sa re ga ma pa da ni sa in all the five combinations using the Basic Flute Fingering Methodology I have suggested in the chapter NOTE METHODOLOGY :-
(1) Take flute C and play :----Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Da Ni Sa
(2) Take flute D and play:-----Ni Sa Ri Ga Ma Pa Da Ni (Ga is underlined .So it is a half note )
(3) Take flute F and play -----Pa Da Ni Sa Ri Ga Ma Pa ( Ni and Ma are half notes )
Take flute G and play -----Ma Pa Da Ni Sa Ri Ga Ma
(5) Take flute D# and play ---Da Ni Ri Ri Ga Ma Da Da ( we have 4 half notes )
Please note that it is very easy to play in C and G .Moderately difficult to play in D and F.And very difficult to play in D#. An important point to note that on an average you will find that the original recording artist will avoid playing as many half notes as he can .So that must be your thinking when you start decephering notes on your own .
Once you have done that you have understood the combination theory . You have learned that the sa re ga ma pa da ni sa that you played in your C flute can also be played in flutes of different octaves using different notes .
That is what it is all about .
09/10/.2007