Mandolin!

[sunson]

About a year ago, I got my electric guitar made by Madras Musicals. I was so damn impressed by the amazingly smooth neck and fret board he made for me. I have tried a few other 'branded' guitars (some local brands like Tansen and some really funky brands like Schecters) but really, Thulasi rocks for all the customisability and the value for money

Comments

[spacejunkk]

Nice read, someday I will start learning a guitar or violin too!

[sunson]

or a mandolin? :) or vocals? :)

man, I seriously think if you have the gift to sing (good range, decent voice), there is nothing like it. Go ahead and do it :) But instruments are abstract and beautiful in their own way, I think.

[spacejunkk]

Yea... or Mandolin!
'or vocals ' Not very sure if I have a good voice, :-? but I think I can do a Usha Uthup number ;)

[vaishaksuresh]

I've been wanting to buy an electric guitar. I have a serious doubt. Once I buy an electric guitar, I don't intend to give a stage performance of any sort, do I still have to buy an amplifier? can I not practice with my stereo system (it has a MIC in)?

[sunson]

It depends on your stereo system. In the traditional sense, "MIC in" expects high impedance load and your electric guitar is a low impedance load. So connecting your electric guitar to a "MIC in" _might_ end up roasting the stereo system. If you have a "Line in", then please use it.

I still recommend a cheap amp than using an expensive stereo system. You never know how the stuff inside electric guitars can go wrong :)

I bought a 15W Johnson amp for Rs.1.8K (from "Reynold's", Bangalore -- Reynold's is a pretty expensive place, anyway and therefore I assume you can get nice amps for cheaper from elsewhere. Maybe custom build one? :)

Or a much cleaner solution would be to buy an Effects processor (for about Rs.5K you get a Digitech RP100-A). Effects processors have a headphone out too, so you can nicely practice without disturbing others :)

[sunson]

Remember that effects processors are a time sink :) You can waste valuable hours in 'fine tuning' your 'tone' than doing real practice.

[vaishaksuresh]

vokay! will look into it :D thanks for the info :D

[shivku]

Well, I am all game to teach whatever little I know about, what was that, "chords, harmony and what not"..But I really dont understand why you must tune your guitar to E-G-E-G-E-G ? Because Mandolin Srinivas does that?

Tune the instrument the way it must be tuned. After all, you wanna play single notes in Carnatic. How does it matter if it is 1 fret before or after ?

On the other hand, when you want to play on someone else's guitar, or you want to add harmony to your carnatic tune, the unplugged way, the usual tuning will come to your rescue

[sunson]

Danke.

Its so much easier to 'imagine' the 'utharaangam' (notes above 'pa') and the 'poorvangam' (notes from 'sa' to 'pa') when the instrument is tuned 'sa pa Sa'. and secondly "sir" said tanam will need a lot of skill if you don't have 'open' sa / pa strings.

hello

[anonymous]

I am in love with the clip you posted a couple months ago of U. Shrinivas' "Enthamuddo", esp that version as I play piano and do a lot of fusion with my cousin, who plays carnatic violin, my friend, who plays tabla, and another good friend of mine who plays carnatic guitar and in a funny twist, his idol is also U. Shrinivas haha. Anyway I was wondering if you happen to have the full song downloaded in mp3 format and if you would be so kind to send it over to me? I just love how he plays ragamalika and I would love to have the full song. Please let me know, my yahoo ID is: nyruch