The Language of Music

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Save years of complex music training with our
East meets West music theory course.
Enhance your learning by interacting with teachers and students through the discussion forum.
ABOUT THIS COURSE
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The Language of Music is a foundational course to prepare you for Art of Kirtan’s harmonium, mridanga, and kartal courses. It also gives you the language to understand all of our future music course offerings. 

The course is divided into three main parts: rhythm, melody, and harmony. These are the basic elements of music. Gaining this fundamental understanding makes it much easier to learn both singing and musical instruments.
  • Instructors: Bada Haridas & Visvambhar Sheth
  • Level: All levels
  • Videos: 29 (4h 30m)
  • Price: $100 USD
Create your account and submit payment for instant access to the course.

Course Overview

Rhythm

The information about rhythm is especially important, not only for playing mridanga and kartals, but also for harmonium and singing. In this course you’ll learn the underlying rhythmic structure and how all the musical parts fit together.

Melody

In the section on melody, you’ll get an understanding of pitches, intervals, scales, and how to play any melody and scale in any key. You’ll also learn about the relationship between the North Indian system of music and the Western system.

Understanding these two systems, and how they complement one another, is very helpful when playing instruments. The North Indian system gives us an easy way to understand and identify the notes we are hearing, and the Western system gives us an easy way to apply it to the harmonium or any instrument.

You’ll learn how to use the North Indian system as a tool to play by ear, transpose melodies, and more. This information will also give you a solid foundation for understanding raga.

Harmony

In the section on harmony, you’ll learn to hear the natural harmonies within melody. You’ll understand the basics of chords, chord inversions, and how to add chords to a melody. 

It’s exciting to have the language of music open up the world of rhythm, melody, and harmony to you, and it will assist you on your journey with kirtan.


Course Preview

kind words by students

Testimonials

"Hari Bol! So happy this is happening! Deep love and reverence to all involved in this initiative. I’m almost through the Language of Music course and that has been extremely helpful. The mridanga course is thorough and challenging. It’s awesome! My wife is taking the harmonium course. Best kirtan training I have come across. Congratulations to you and the team!”


NARADA, YOGAVILLE TEACHER, VIRGINIA, USA

“So happy this school is happening – we’re taking every course!”


Art of Kirtan student

"Many thanks for this work “art of kirtan!" I really enjoy the harmonium lessons and they deepen my previous kirtan experiences. The Kartal course is also very helpful! Thank you all for this commitment and the high quality."


BEA, SWITZERLAND

meet your instructor

Bada Haridas

Kirtan and harmonium teacher
A lifelong musician, Bada Haridas has studied and taught Indian devotional music since 1975. He is a celebrated Kirtan singer and performs at festivals around the world.
In this unique course, he shares his knowledge and years of experience to help you enter into the world of sacred music and Kirtan. 
meet your instructor

Visvambhar Sheth

Kirtan, bhajan, mridanga, and kartal teacher
An internationally recognized Kirtan-singer, recording artist, and inspirational speaker, Visvambhar (Vish) has a lifelong connection to India and its culture. Being brought up in a Kirtan family and community, he began leading Kirtan when he was five years old. Vish has a rare capacity to invoke and transmit the essence of kirtan.
TAKE THE NEXT STEP
Get ready and dive in! Language of Music is a foundational course to prepare you for Art of Kirtan’s harmonium, mridanga and kartal courses.
Create your account and submit payment for instant access to the course.
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BUNDLE TWO OR MORE COURSES AND SAVE!
Our teachers have created these courses to give you everything you need to become an expert kirtaniya yourself.  
The Language of Music course provides a musical foundation that is important. 
You'll have a more enjoyable time with the harmonium, mridanga and kartal courses if you take the Language of Music course too.