Elements of Indian Music Webinar

Join me live on Zoom for a deep exploration into Indian Classical Music!

Start 12th of November 2024 - Book your place now!

This live Webinar is a great opportunity for guitar players to get to grips with the main concepts of Indian Classical music and understand how the whole system works. Over 4 sessions we will uncover the essential building blocks that every musician needs to understand to being this journey and establish how to interpret this amazing tradition on the guitar.

Day One & Two - The Elements

The first stage will be divided into two areas to establish the foundations of the music in detail.
Each session will be an hour long with time for questions.

Day 1 - Indian Classical Melodic Concepts - Tuesday 12th of November

Melody is the life blood of Indian music and it is expressed in the form of Raags. This amazing melodic system has developed over thousands of years and I will help you to understand how Indian Classical Music functions and the key characteristic that give this tradition its definitive sound. There are core elements that all raags consist of and once you have absorbed these principles, it develops your instincts to interpret and express a raag in the correct way. These fundamentals are often quite simple in their true essence and all musicians (regardless of their level of playing) will benefit from having knowledge of the Indian melodic system and its stunningly beautiful logic and limitless potential.

Day 2 - Indian Classical Rhythmic Concepts - Tuesday 19th of November

Rhythm and time cycles create the foundation for a Raag to be explored in a recital structure. This area is equally vast as the melodic system and also has distinct practice methods to be explored. We will take a step by step approach to build your understanding of rhythm, in the context of Indian Classical music. Once absorbed this will inform every aspect of how you listen and play. The tools you develop through this process are so universal and powerful, that it's really a before and after effect that can transform a musician forever. There's also a very specific way that rhythm facilities a raag recital, to move through its various stages. With this knowledge you will understand Indian Classical Music much more clearly, both in a performance setting and its philosophy towards practice.

Day Three & Four - The Realisation

The second stage will also be divided into two main areas, giving context to what we established in the stage one.

Day 3 - Techniques and Practice Concepts - Tuesday 26th of November

Having an intelligent and effective approach to practice is vital to make use of the knowledge we have established so far. Technique is the art of transmitting your ideas and emotions into your hands and connecting you to the instrument. I am really looking forward to sharing my experiences with my Gurus concerning how to engage with the art of practice and my own experience of honing this tradition to the electric guitar and constantly developing my skills as a player. This is an area real passion for me and you will see it is far from a dry 'rinse and repeat' process to truly practice well. After this experience you will never look at technique and practice in the same way again.

Day 4 - Improvisation and Recital Structure - Tuesday 3rd of December

Raag recitals have a well established traditional structure, that creates a natural sense of journey. Every stage of the recital has a wealth of concepts and stylistic repertoire, that we can use to guide us and ally us the inherent qualities of a raag. I will lead you through a complete recital expanding on each stage, giving you the skills to listen and follow its progression. This will increase your understanding and appreciation for this music a great deal and inspire you to develop these skills as well.

Improvisation is at the center of everything that makes Indian Music so vibrant and fresh. There is also a deep thought process behind this and I will take you into these realms of imagination and creativity. This sense of freedom combined with structure, is what makes Indian Classical Music sound so focused and meditative. There are many tools to help you achieve this and I'm going to open that door to everyone who is ready to pick up their guitar and begin that journey.

I am really looking forward to sharing my experience and love for this music with you all. So I hope to see you on the Webinar, it going to be a great experience I'm sure.