Spot the Re, Ga and Dha buggers!

NAPPING: Day Supercalifrajalisticexpealidocious

Yeah well that's what it is. Long uncalled for hiatus from a blog I promised I'd write every day. Auditors at work, missing classes left right and center, practical class speeding by leaps and bounds. We have done Gaa Komal. It's something I know I scribbled something profound about in my notebook margin. It was Nii komal that really felt like flowers blooming and rainbows sprouting from every inch of the surroundings.
Witty professor LIED to me so now he is the Lying witty professor. Okay FINE! He didn't lie. He joked. But it was a cruel joke. He said I am AM's best student. And then went back on his word. Meanwhile I had woken Lala up in the middle of the night and he almost had a heart attack. I hadn't spoken to him in over a couple of weeks and I call him in the middle of the night, he thought I was dying or was in some sort of trouble. Then we both celebrated by yelling out our yays. I felt like such an idiot when I found out it wasn't true. I missed so many classes I hardly know anything that goes on in Western theory any more. This weekend was all dedicated to M and qavvaali. The qavvaal bachcha from my class kept smiling at me when I was trying to control my laughter. He doesn't know my crazy laugh situation. I am a bane to any performer friend usually forbidden to be part of the audience because I always make everyone laugh. They were sitting too close, his father would've hit me with the harmonium. Good death but I still won't have made it to first page so not good enough. I'll beat him up if he discusses with his friends that he saw me all dressed up. I like my maasi image at NAPA. Mental note: Have to bully him into never leaving qavvaali whatever frikkin' thing he decides to do with a piano, he is damned good at it and there's a legacy to be kept up with. I hope he doesn't mess up in the love to be a Rock Star and has some brains as opposed to other kids his age *groan* I don't think if anything winds me up more than immaturity. The tablaanawaz's son and the silent singer are both kinda scared of me.Good. I love bullying them. They need to be kept in check. Hyperactive little things! Witnessed some rehearsal last week for an event commemorating Noor Jehan. Lovely punjabi numbers, kept singing them for a while. I don't know why people get so excited when they see celebrities. Why can't we treat them like normal human beings? I'm sure they'd appreciate that. Also only because they are celebrities doesn't mean they're awesome people too. Most of them tend to disappoint you on a personal level so I am always sort of annoyed in general about the whole starry eyed meet-a-celebrity deal. Kash just emailed about an evening with IK. now that's what I call a set up for true eye candy. In other news I just realised how much I miss Kashif Hussain bhaeeeee! Kojak must return soon. Sadness is happening.

NAPPING: Day Dieciséis

Thursday February 10, 2011

Day quince was a strike of some sort. Today we did the 6th Paltaa of Bilaaval thaath and practiced all five earlier ones. This one is fun, it has a more fun formation than that of the earlier ones. I like it. Its fun to sing too!
In theory class did two more thaaths Todi & Bhairon.

I love the cats in this place. They’re so elegant. Well. Maybe not. But yes I’m a sucker for cats.

NAPPING: Day Catorce

Tuesday February 08, 2011

Nothing too happening. Women within the boys show up. Annoying freaks. Practical class went prett-ty lame and a bit infuriating too. Then the sun shines on. I move towards the Western Theory class and I see AM. Wait a second, is he taking the class? Oh My God, he is. He totally is! I glide into class at a glacial pace (aka Devil wears Prada) The entire class seemed to be dancing, the words were singing, everything was in harmony. I was ecstatic! AM’s first class. I was finally GETTING Western Theory damn it! I haven’t been this active in a class at NAPA. We did everything we had supposedly done before, Clefs, staff, ledger lines, ranges, but this was beauty. I was now understanding what we had earlier studied. We study note duration and he gives us a sequence. When he puts notes into it instead of one static note, it becomes the National Anthem. *Woooopeee-ed* totally!
I haven’t been happier in recent times. This was my passion talking out loud. So so happy!

NAPPING: Day Trece

Monday February 07, 2011

46 minutes late. Petrified. Mortified. Everything-fied. Deep fried. Practicing the killer Paltaa 4 was perhaps not enough. Paltaa number 5 descends and life is about to end. We’re doing Aarohi, Amrohi and Aakaar. For all Five. Lets all kill each other. New name for gravity doll, perhaps an addition. he sings like Rangeela in “Gaa more manvaa, gaata jaa re” So yeah. His egg yellow shirt qualifies him to be Rangeela. In addition to his voice but gravity doll stays too. Rangeela Gravity Doll.

Beautiful night. Lovely breeze. I think NAPA blew a light or something. The darkened parking area with the almost sugary breeze is so soothing after vein infarcting panchwaan paltaa, its unbelievable.

Fab e ayye aala irabbekumaa tukazzebaan. AND along came a spider and sat down beside her. A buoy in radddd shirt walks over and I very promptly move to another corner. Everything beautiful must come to an end. Thus the theory class.

Eastern theory class, I realise dude, “pehlaa kaala” REALLY means pehlaa kaala! Meaning the first set of black keys on the keyboard. How cool is that!? Anyway, randomness exist for me in this dimension. We learned more thaaths. Beyond Bhairavi. There’s Kalyan, Maarva and Poorvi. Mani Gadha Re isn’t all I need I guess. Must.make.mnemonic for the rest of the family too. New members

NAPPING: Day Doce

Friday February 04, 2011

Practicing the 4 paltay from Bilaaval thaath, over and over. Fourth paltay pe heart fail ho jaayega. Machhar ki maut marein gai. Matlab bay-maut. We’re moving onto faster tempo, swifter taal (groove). Speed is not my issue. Range is. The scale kills my head and heart.
Learned about the Staff Clef, ledger line, Middle C, Bass and Treble Clef. I like drawing the treble Clef. Bass Clef looks like it needs help. We should get it a shrink. Demented shape has happened. Notes and Time signatures were introduced. i think I get it. Making the flags on the notes is tough shit. My flags end up looking like fat lard hanging from the poles. Disturbing.
Another profound statement was formed. I should write a textbook full of profound definitions of music. Ahhem “Every line or space on the staff represents a white key on the keyboard” Oh yeayaah *wO0t!*

Someone was texting during class and the witty professor stopped teaching. Said “Bandd kyun kar diya. Message karo” He’s funny. I make it sound quite lame here. Situational comedy. You won't get it. Okay I’m messing him up. Honestly he’s quite funny. Promise

NAPPING: Day Once

Thursday February 03, 2011

Paltaa number 4, Bilaaval Thaath. Sounds smooth. Both Aarohi Amrohi. Though beyond dhaa is still a struggle.
The substitute of the big boiz for theory lessons is a witty one. I like his classes. I was reminded of my guitar lessons today. The notes.

C C# D D# E F F# G G# A A# B

Sigh. Good days but hey! These are better days! By all means :)
Bilaaval thaath repeated in theory lesson and instinctively everyone started to hum. “Guitar waalay gaayein mat khudaa ke liye” says the witty professor. Some smart Alec says labbaik instead of present, during attendance. “Phhatna nahi labbaik pe please!” I like this teacher though I didn’t quite pay for this but still, he’s fun.