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SOUTH INDIAN RHYTHMIC TRADITION An Introduction Part II
Continuing on from my 'South Indian Rhythmic Tradition An Introduction Part I' here is the next step in the development of this wonderful rhythmic tradition which employs a system of spoken drum syllables known as solkatu. In the last article I focused on the development of the groups from 1 to 10 by playing them in eighth note groupings making the first stroke of the patterns wider and wider as you go down the line. This time the focus is on a quarter note pulse and so each group is divided as to conform with this system. What it means in its development is that you might want to work slowly on a tempo [around 40-50 = quarter note] in order to be able to develop each group evenly and to play each group in perfect time.

This rhythmic tradition employs a system of spoken drum syllables known as solkatu. Here are the ten basic groups:

1= TA                    
2= TA KA                  
3= TA KI TA                
4= TA KA DI NA              
5= TA DI KI NA DOM            
6= TA KA DI NA TA KA          
7= TA KA DI NA TA KI TA        
8= TA KA DI NA TA KA DI NA      
9= TA KA DI NA TA DI KI NA DOM    
10= TA KI TA TAM , TA DI KI NA DOM  


The following are couple of ways you should employ to develop the material presented:

1. Practice each group by clapping the quarter note pulse and reciting the chosen group syllables aloud along to a metronome
2. Practice “pyramid” style, four times each from 1->10 then back 10->1





For further research visit Karaikudi R Mani and/or listen to Into The Fire  Australian Art Orchestra & Sruthi Laya Ensemble [ABC Classics 465 705-2]


© Alex Pertout. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced without prior written permission from the author. This article was first published in Drumscene magazine.

© Alex Pertout. All Rights Reserved.