The Other..SaReGa..ReGaMa..GaMaPa.....

MUSIC.

Another very integral part of my life.I love singing and I have been learning keyboard for over the last four years and want to continue learning for the rest of my life! A very interesting incident with my music teacher has inspired me to write this blog. It was a dialogue I had with him while I was waiting to go home after our practice session got over.

Whatever I have learnt of music is with the English/Western notation and that day I happened to practice with the teacher who taught Hindi notation at my music school. So, obviously, I knew it was going to be tough for me! After the practice got over, he began, "Ragini, I think you are doing it fine but you need more practice. We can practice now."

I couldn't understand him as I had packed my synthesizer and I couldn't imagine he could ask me to sing with him there..It was so funny because I really can't sing..at least till then I thought I couldn't.

So he started, "Come on..after me... 'Sa..Ni Dha Pa Ga Pa Sa Ni;;; Dha Pa Dha, Pa Ma Pa, Ma Ga Re Sa Ga'..Chalo,bolo!" I looked at him and told him again and again that I couldn't sing and would practice and get back to him on the keyboard the next day..but he insisted.. "Chalo,'Sa...Ni Dha Pa..'..yes, very good..."

"Sing! Sing! Come on..'Saa...'..Join me."

I tried my best to convince him but could not. So, I started humming. He still wasn't satisfied. With such a bad voice, I felt almost handicapped. He urged me to sing, and when I did, he said, "You are going wrong. Listen to me and start again." I was in a fix. On one hand, I was trying to tell him I was not a good singer, desperate to get out of the situation, and on the other, I couldn't stop laughing. How could I explain the fact to him that even if I got the composition right, I could not produce it correctly until I had my instrument with me. I tried and tried...couldn't stop laughing, but still tried until he was content.

I can never forget that time because it was a really new experience for me. Not to mention the huge amount of knowledge and confidence Sir helped me gain. Will ever be thankful to you for it, Sir.