Mountain View, CA, November 4th, 2021 – Happy Deepavali! Upbeat Labs has released its latest update to My TalaVadyam on the Apple App Store on this auspicious day. My TalaVadyam is a first-of-its-kind innovative Carnatic Percussion Sequencer app that takes the traditional Mora/Korvai/Mridangam Sequence notation and transforms it into a playable sequence that can be played back using naturally sampled Mridangam sounds, at any tempo and pitch, with a multitude of features for the ardent Carnatic Music enthusiast. Unlike other Mridangam apps, it does not use pre-recorded loops but instead allows the user to create any complex Mridangam sequences from the ground up.
Users can transcribe any Mora, Korvai or Sequence using Mridangam notes and phrases (Sollus) in a manner they are familiar with, and can play them back using naturally sampled Mridangam sounds at the specified Tala and Tempo (including Kala) and in the desired pitch/Shruti. The Tala/Sequence Visualizer shows the progression of the Tala and the Sequence, including the Mridangam phrase being played.
Carnatic percussion teachers can thus create and share lesson plans with their students. The students therefore know how the sequence is supposed to sound, and can practice keeping the beat and perfecting the transitions by having an aide to play along with, even as they practice at home away from the teacher’s guidance in the classroom. In today’s increasingly more remote classroom scenario, this proves to be an added benefit to the learning methodology.
Musicians can create and experiment with different Moras and Korvais and get more accustomed with the math and beauty of Carnatic percussion.
The app also includes a “Live” view that has playable left- and right-heads of the Mridangam to have some fun and experiment with, even in the absence of the real instrument.
The idea for My TalaVadyam was born when Sridhar Rajagopal, the Founder of Upbeat Labs, started Mridangam lessons about 10 years ago. Utilizing his skills as a Software Engineer, Sridhar created My TalaVadyam from the ground up, focusing on Carnatic Percussion theory and structure while infusing technology to this ancient art. A very precise Sound Engine forms the solid foundation necessary to keep up with the demands of strict time synchronization requirements for a professional music app.
With its latest release – version 4 – the My TalaVadyam Sound Engine has been further enhanced and updated to support dynamic pitch changes and separately controllable right- and left-head pitch fine-tuning and sound level adjustment for the perfect sound of your preference. It supports playback of sequences at 1st, 2nd and 3rd speeds and different Talas, and the Tala/Sequence Visualizer gives visual feedback.
My TalaVadyam has been used by students, teachers and performers of Carnatic Music and dance and has been enthusiastically received! Here are a few accolades:
- “Feel truly blessed to have come across this app. I am learner and my skills, specially layam needed a lot of correction. Here are my primary usages: 1) Practice the sample lessons, there are many great lessons to keep me busy for a while. 2) Construct and save the lessons taught by my guru. All note syllables are available for drag and drop. Assemble these buttons and press play and loop it. Wow!! high quality audio. 3) Earlier, after the oral recitation, I used to play. Now after oral recitation, I listen deeply to the sequence in this app. This makes my ears get used to great quality notes and then I practice. This method is working wonders already. 4) Keep looping the notes and play along at various speeds. If I make a mistake, I can recover and keep going along with this reliable co-player. 5) There are other features which I have not explored, and reserving them for future wows!! Thanks to the creators, by honing the skills of learners, you serve a greater purpose.”
- “I just installed this app on my phone.. It works awesome… For a person who played the instrument for 12 years and missing it badly… I would say this is the perfect app for it.. Even though you don’t get the feel of the skins… This definitely takes me back to my guru’s classes… I can now practice wherever I am…. Tons of thanks to the author…”
- “You get very nice sounding mridangam accompaniment . You can make simple rhythmic arrangements to professional grade complicated korvais with this app. Amazing”
In addition to My TalaVadyam, Upbeat Labs has also developed a complementary Carnatic Metronome app called Talanome. It includes a multitude of Carnatic Talas, such as the Suladi Talas, the 108 Ashtottara Sata Talas, Dr. Balamuralikrishna’s Mukhi Talas, Chapu Talas, Hindustani Talas, Fusion Talas and more. It also has the capability of creating any complex metronomic patterns to model any genre of music.
With more exciting apps currently in development within the Carnatic Music space, Upbeat Labs continues to innovate into its second decade by marrying technology with tradition!
To find more information about My TalaVadyam and our other offerings, please use the links below:
- http://www.upbeatlabs.com/my-talavadyam/
- https://apps.apple.com/us/app/my-talavadyam-carnatic-beats/id659575464
- https://www.youtube.com/upbeatlabs
About
Upbeat Labs
Upbeat Labs makes Carnatic
Music Apps and Hardware/Software products for the Maker Community.
Press and Media Enquiries
For additional information, images, and
samples please contact us below.
Sridhar Rajagopal | Founder | Upbeat Labs LLC | sridhar@upbeatlabs.com | (408) 384-4804
SOURCE: Upbeat Labs LLC
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