Music on Keys

Connect via Music

2015-02-18T08:04:00.000+05:30

Dear Friends,

I have created this blog to connect with you all on Music via Keys. I will be sharing songs from Indian/Carnatic/Western Genre music and of course my own compositions on a weekly basis. Songs and musical notes will be played with my dear Yamaha Keyboard and hopefully with Piano in near future. I have provided the videos with a bit of description for the music played. I hope you will like my play of this evergreen music from multitude of Music legends.

Blog Layout – Quick reference:

I have currently designed the layout as below·

Posts.
· Current Music news.
· Follow my email.
Comments sections.

More to come ….

Note – Request you to use ‘headphones’ when you hear the music for better effects. Thanks for your time. Please provide me your valuable comments which will help me to become a better musician.

Long live music.

My composition - Luv- You

2014-11-17T15:06:00.001+05:30

Friends,
My own composition for those who choose to Love instead of Hate. Please hear it with HEADPHONES and let me know your comments.

My Heart Will Go On - Teaser

2014-04-19T19:20:00.002+05:30

Friends,

My first try to play this Evergreen romantic song in my own style. Please hear it with HEADPHONES. If you like it i will play the FULL SONG soon :).

Tamizha Tamizha - Teaser

2014-04-13T23:18:00.001+05:30

My first try with MIDI recording using Presonus Studio DAW software. Will improvise it in comming days. Please hear the music with HEADPHONES. Hope you will like my style of play.

Forgive Me SweetHeart

2013-10-20T17:32:00.000+05:30

Dear Friends,

I am back with my composition titled ‘Forgive Me Sweetheart’. I was alone at home today. Smoky Sunday afternoon with rains. Suddenly felt my heart heavy and started free style playing in my Keyboard and this piece of music came out.
Please hear it with HEADPHONES and let me know your comments.

Varsha - Santorini

2013-08-20T20:12:00.000+05:30

Dear Friends,

Yesterday night I observed to my surprise that Varsha (my daughter) was playing this song ‘Santorini’ composed by Yanni. I used to hear this song in my lappy few times in the past. Nobody taught her to play this. Hope you will like her improvisation as she plays.

Lover's Heartbeat- My Composition

2013-08-15T19:10:00.002+05:30

Dear Friends,

My 2^nd sequel song to Remembering Her is ‘Lovers Heartbeat’. Hear with Headphones.

Waiting for your valuable feedback.

Remembering Her-My Composition

2013-08-10T23:03:00.002+05:30

Friends, My own composition titled “Remembering her”. Hope this music brings back your memories of your lady love.

Hear with Headphones.

Malai Neeram

2013-07-28T18:55:00.000+05:30

Dears,

I have played this wonderful song Malai Neeram as a Free Style Unplugged version with Grand Piano keys. I dedicate this song to music composer GV Prakash Kumar who got married last month to his child hood sweet heart Saindhavi. Hope you like my version of play.

Please hear the song with Headphones.

Malgudi Days Theme Music - Keyboard

2013-06-16T20:52:00.002+05:30

Dear Friends,I am happy and nostalgic to share this wonderful music from our age old Doordarshan channel serial ‘Malgudi Days’. I still remember those wonderful days when I sit glued to the TV to watch the Malgudi Days episodes on a weekly basis.

I played this music with my Yamaha keyboard. Hope you like and the music brings back your childhood days. Hear the music with HEADPHONES.

Play Facts:

Scale – C Major

Chords – C Major, A minor, G Major

Life is Precious- My Composition

2013-06-09T21:38:00.001+05:30

Dear Friends,

Happy to share my composition played with Grand Piano Unplugged version. I have named the music as " Life is Precious". I hope the song makes you feel it. Please hear it with HEADPHONES and let me know your comments.

Menuett in F- Trinity Piano Grade1

2013-05-26T22:26:00.000+05:30

Song – Menuett in F
Composer – Leopold Mozart
This song is part of Trinity college Piano grade 1 syllabus for 2012-2014. It’s a simple beautiful song composed by Leopold Mozart. I have provided the video of my play for this song. Hope you will like it and will help you on Trinity practical exam preparation. Let me know your comments.

Pointers:

·         Time signature – 3/4

·         Dynamics –Grazioso

·         Mp-medium soft

·         F-loud

Dance of Sweet Hearts- My Composition

2013-05-24T21:06:00.001+05:30

Dear Friends

I am happy to share my OWN COMPOSITION. I have named the song as “Dance of Sweet Hearts”. I hope the song will make you dance with your partner. Played in unplugged version of LIVE Free Style recording. Hope you like the music.

Please hear it with HEADPHONES and let me know your comments.

Thenpaandi Cheemayil song

2013-05-17T19:07:00.001+05:30

Dear Friends,Happy to share my version of Thenpaandi Cheemayile , the evergreen gem of Ilaiyaraaja Sir composed for the Tamil movie nayagan.

Details:

Scale – Cm (C minor)

Chords used – Cm, Gm. (G minor), Bb (B flat)

Voices- Flute, Hypetine, Bell Pad

Please hear it with HEADPHONES. Let me know your views.

Myself with Music legends Ganesh and Kumaresh

2013-05-07T07:50:00.001+05:30

Dear Friends,

I was fortunate enough to meet the Violin duo legends Ganesh and Kumaresh on my flight journey to USA via British Airways. They were seated behind my rows in Economy class. I went and spoke to them for 5 min about their wonderful music. They were quite humble and appreciated me for my music interest and wished me. At last I requested them for a picture. They were hurrying in the transit (London) to catch their next flight when this pic was taken. I will cherish this moment till my last breathe. Unfortunately the pic was taken in a hurry against the sunlight :(.

AR Rahman said famously in an interview to Deccan chronicle "After traveling extensively to four countries when I come back to Chennai I am often asked why I choose to live here? The reason is simple because my house is here and Ganesh and Kumaresh are here." So said A.R Rahman as he launched the new age violin album "Carnatic chills" brought out by Ganesh Kumaresh.(Deccan chronicle Feb 12th 2007).

Music Article -Lalgudi Jayaraman

2013-05-03T05:16:00.002+05:30

Lalgudi Jayaraman

Dear Friends,

I would like to dedicate this article to the late Sri Lalgudi Jayaraman (Violinist, composer). He had won the hearts of lakhs of rasikas with his shows and made violin to talk and sing in different ways. He was able to mesmerize the audience by playing at ease two of the toughest ragas in Carnatic music world called as “Devagandhari” and “Neelambari.”

I am happy to share this article which depicts an interesting incident involving my father with the great Carnatic music violinist .Let me allow my father to narrate the incident in his own words as below.

Four decades back, I happened to enjoy an excellent musical evening adorned by Sri Lalgudi Jayaraman, his sister Srimathi Bramanandam and Sri Umayalpuram K. Sivaraman (mridangam) in a marriage reception at Savitha Hall, Coimbatore.The violin duet started at 6 p.m. and next three hours were simply magical.How the three hours went, nobody knew.In between many gave in chits their requests of songs and almost all the requests were played by Sri Jayaraman and his sister.At about 10 p.m. when Sri Jayaraman made an appeal to the audience whether they could end their duet, one physically handicapped middle-aged lady sitting on a wheel chair tried to stand up and made signs to Sri Jayaraman not to stop and continue to play.Sri Jayaraman with an affectionate smile continued their duet for another 40 minutes.After that, Sri Jayaraman looked at the lady who with reluctance nodded an ‘OK’ for playing ‘mangalam’ (the final end piece, normally played in Carnatic concerts).After that, they were invited for dinner and I had an opportunity to serve the food to the music legend and his wonderful musicians for the evening.When I served the food I told him my name and Sri Jayaraman introduced me to his sister and the great mridangam Vidwan Sri Umayalpuram K. Sivaraman.Politely Sri Jayaraman asked me whether he played the song I requested via the chit to my satisfaction.I thank God for providing me an unforgettable opportunity to interact and hear the LIVE play of the music legend Sri Lalgudi Jayaraman.I pray to GOD for his sole to rest in peace.

To my readers, I know by this time you might be curious to know my father’s song request.The song was ‘Naan Oru Vilaiyattu Bommaiya’ by Papanasam Sivan.This wonderful song is based on the raga ‘ navarasa kannada’.

Music Article - Sri TN Krishnan

2013-04-22T20:23:00.001+05:30

Trippunithura Narayanan Krishnan (TN Krishnan)

Dear Friends,I am happy to share this article which depicts two interesting incidents involving my father with the great Carnatic music violinist Sri TN Krishnan. The below narration shows the humble nature of TN Krishnan. Let me allow my father to narrate the incident in his own words as below.

I wish to tell how simple Sri TN Krishnan is with whom I happened to spend some wonderful times at Mangalore and Chennai [Madras]. He came to Mangalore 30 year’s back where I was working to perform with his daughter for Sangeetham Sammelan conducted by All India Radio. The AIR conducted this concert every December month at various places by inviting prominent Hindustani and Carnatic artists. The concert was broadcasted every Saturday night on all the AIR stations. On one of the memorable December evenings before the concert, Sri TN Krishnan asked me to suggest songs I wished him to play. I was excited, surprised and never expected that such a great artist would ask me to suggest songs for the concert. Seeing my shocked expression with silence, he said, ok we would commence the concert with the song of your name (my name is vathabi varanan) Again I was speechless and as he urged me to wish for other songs, slowly I suggested "Saamaja Vara Gamana" based on the raga ‘Hindolam’ and told him that the famous film ‘Sangaraparanam’ helped this song to reach all parts of the country. Immediately he appreciated my selection and told that the song's raga in Hindustani version is called 'malkauns' famous in North India.

After some years, I had an opportunity again to enjoy his unforgettable Violin concert in Chennai in a temple with my family. There were around 5000 people in the concert as audience. Sri TN Krishnan played the last song for the evening say around 9:30 pm. After the song and the claps of hands, from nowhere a young boy with his high pitched tone requested TN Krishnan to play the Mohanam varnam. Immediately Sri TN Krishnan obliged to the kid’s request and played the Mohanam varnam for the next 15 min. everybody applauded TN Krishnan for his simplicity. We came back home with heart full of happiness and fulfillment. The young boy is none other than my elder son Nataraj Sriguru.

Happy Bday Song

2013-04-11T07:00:00.000+05:30

Dear Friends Just played this wonderful piece on my Bday today :). Hope you like my free style unplugged version.

Carnatic Ragas on Keys- HAMSANADAM

2013-04-07T08:38:00.000+05:30

Dear Friends, as I promised in my initial post on ‘Carnatic Raga on KEYS’, Today I am happy to share the Arohanam [Upper notes] and Avarohanam [lower notes] of the beautiful Raga ‘HAMSANADAM’. Also played two lines of a popular Tamil cini song ‘Thendral Vandhu Ennai Thodum’ composed by Raja Sir on this raga.

Hope this video helps you to play the notes of this raga and get more connected. Let me know your comments which will help me to become a better musician and keep me motivated :).

I have also provided the mapping of western Keyboard keys to Carnatic notations to help you play the song. Check the below picture.

Music Article - Subbudu Sir

2013-04-03T15:35:00.000+05:30

Dear Friends,

Along with my Keyboard/Piano plays, I felt that I can use this blog to write out some ‘Articles’ on people connected to music. I will try my best to bring out some interesting incidents which are unknown to most of us. I hope you will like this initiative.

On these lines my first article will be on P. V. Subramanian (Subbudu)

I am happy to furnish an unknown incident which my father narrated to me some time back. In his younger days, my father had opportunities to spend time with Subbudu Sir one of the most respected Music and Dance Critics of this decade. In my father’s own words now …….

I brief here how music started engulfing youngsters like me to sing during early 1950s when I was studying VI STD at Dharapuram.One evening of April, I heard some melodious Bhajans sung by a chorus opposite to my house in Kolinjivadi a village hamlet which is part of Dharapuram. I went into the house where Bhajans were sung, and joined a small group of around 10 people. One elderly person playing harmonium, led the Bajans and others repeated the Bhajans.The way he played the Harmonium and sang simultaneously was excellent and I had goose bumps all over my body. Today I can say that he can be looked as a Pianist where the left and right hand go in sync in an amazing way for complex styles. No wonder, I joined the Bhajans like others who came in one by one that day. He sang many 'namavalis'. A 'namavali' is about two to four lines song. First it will be sung at normal speed and followed by a little more and again with a little more speed. The person who conducted the Bajans, used to come down to Kolinjivadi from Delhi every year during April after completion of Annual School Exams. Slowly the attendance for the Bhajan got increased every day and all enjoyed being part and parcel of the Bhajan. Inspite of April being a hot month we longed for it so that Bhajans can get started. Joining Bhajans make you feel near to Almighty.

The person, who conducted the Bajans every year, is the one and only greatest Carnatic Music Critic late Sri Subbudu Sir. All of us had a great time while we followed the Bhajans.At the end of each day, Subbudu Sir used to guide everybody how to sing better and what we have improved from previous day singing with utmost patience. Its almost 60 years now, still his Bhajans are fresh in my mind also in the Kolinjivadi hamlet.

Lonely Traveler

2013-03-28T13:13:00.001+05:30

Lonely Traveler:

Dear Friends, Happy to share my 2^nd composition titled as ‘Lonely Traveler’. I was inspired to compose this tune based on my travel plans in coming days which I need travel alone. Hope you will like this tune. Please put your comments in the blog. If you like it, please share with your friends to promote it. Hear with HEADPHONES :)

AR Rahman- Indiraiyo Ival Sundariyo- keyboard

2013-03-22T22:07:00.000+05:30

Indiraiyo Ival Sundariyo- keyboard- Unplugged

Happy to play this GEM composed by the legend AR Rahman one of my inspirational Guru's. I played it as a free style unplugged version on ‘Grand Piano’ Keys. I still remember my school days when this movie [Kadhalan] was released. The songs topped the charts and we were literally mad of all the songs in this movie. It was the time when AR started showcasing his Genius in music with different sounds and styles. Hope you will like it.Let me know your comments.

Note - Please use 'HEADPHONES' :)

Carnatic songs-BantuReethi Kolu - Keyboard

2013-03-22T21:33:00.000+05:30

BantuReethi Kolu: Legend- Thyagaraja

Bantureethi Kolu or Bantu Reethi Kolu is one of the most popular Thyagaraja Krithis loved by Carnatic buffs of all ages. Thyagaraja, most famous for his Pancharatna Krithis, was one of the greatest Indian composers of Carnatic music. Bantureethi Kolu Carnatic song was composed in ragam Hamsa Nadam (Hamsanaadam). The song talks about the Lord Rama. I have tried to play this wonderful song with my keyboard. Hope you will enjoy it.

Please hear with HEADPHONES and let me know your comments.

Mouna Ragam Theme

2013-03-22T21:22:00.000+05:30

Raja Sir

Mouna Ragam-Theme-

One of the Brilliant Music by IR Sir the Great. I have tried my best to play it with my own way without affecting the original notes. Please hear it with HEADPHONES and let me know your comments.

Carnatic Ragas on Keys- Introduction

2013-03-21T07:44:00.002+05:30

Dear Friends, Musical Saint- Tyagaraja

Thanks for your wonderful support. I am elated to see some excellent comments pouring in on my blog. This encourages me a lot and makes me to think deep for other ways by which I can keep communicating with you via Music. One way is to communicate via Carnatic Music. India is blessed with Ocean of different Genre of music and one of them which stand among the top is Carnatic music. It has rich tradition dating back to 1000 years with amazing musical legends till today. In this section, I will try my best to play Arohanam [upper ascending notes] and Avarohanam [lower descending notes] of Carnatic ragas and will also try to match it to a cinema/ Carnatic song based out of that raga. I hope this will help you to get connected with the raga in better way than before.

So Friends, Please watch out this space …. For more updates soon...