Fretless guitars to portable veenas, Carnatic musicians evolve, innovate

BENGALURU: Known for their disciplined approach to practising techniques, some Carnatic musicians are slowly crossing traditional boundaries to add experimental concepts to the ancient form of music. Through fretless guitars and portable veenas, some Bengaluru-based artists have been instrumental in helping Carnatic music evolve and enhance its importance in a digitised world.

At the 52nd music conference (October 9-16) of Bangalore Gayana Samaja, veena players trained in the traditional style presented the various experiments they conventionalised in their practice of the art. Vighnaraja Sampagodu, a vocalist, composer and teacher of Carnatic music for 39 years, presented his style of playing a fretless guitar at the conference, which is under way in Basavanagudi.

His Sumukha Veena is a modified guitar realigned to adapt to the tunes of Carnatic music. Using his left hand to play the strings through an object called a ‘slider’, Sampagodu looks forward to drawing more people to the art form through his innovative ways.

Sampagodu and many others participating in the event feel now is the time for Carnatic music to evolve into a more globalised and accessible art form. “One may experience certain limitations while playing a veena as it may not allow the musician to express microtones of the musical piece. But a fretless guitar, the sound of which is neither too bass nor too shrill, is best suited to play these microtones and does not deviate from the sound of Carnatic music,” Vishnu R, musician, composer and teacher, told TOI.

Studying music for 20 years, Vishnu has been experimenting with an instrument combining a fretless guitar, fret guitar and harp strings. The instrument, Navtar, can sound like three different audios to the listener but is played by a single artist. He said it helps him blend the sounds of the western world with the east and provides a truly unique listening experience.

Another Carnatic artist and innovator, Lakshman Rao, has crafted a portable and detachable veena that can be dismantled during travel and assembled for a performance. Explaining how he was inspired to create it, he said, “About two years ago, I was observing a potter make vessels from clay and thought about making a veena from sawdust. I began the process and then added the feature of breaking it into detachable parts for transportation.” Rao is yet to commercialise his innovation but is open to taking orders as per his convenience.

While the audience was enamoured of the experiments and inventions in Carnatic music, the artists expressed their desire to help the art keep pace with changing times so that it can have a global appeal. They hope their creations will encourage more innovation in the field.

“We need more economic scope for art. While the talent pool is always bright and increasing, we as teachers are hesitant to encourage our students to take up Carnatic music as a full-time profession,” Sampagodu said.