Mridangam:

South Indian drumming has a language all of its own. For every sound produced by the mridangam, there is a corresponding syllable. These syllables, known as solkattu,  are combined to form innumerable rhythms. The solkattu language becomes almost inseparable from the drumming itself.

One might assume, therefore, that one could assign a MIDI note for each syllable, and then use a mridangam sample of each syllable to play back these solkattu compositions. However, there is considerable flexibility in the system of interpreting the solkattu for the drums. For example, the syllable ta  is used for 11 different strokes. Over the years, the solkattu system has evolved to serve as a structure for many different drums, and so many different interpretations are possible.

The system used here to map the syllables to MIDI notes involved creating an interpretation of the solkattu composition for a Roland U220 tabla  (a pair of North Indian drums with goat skin heads) sample tweaked to imitate a mridangam, taking into account considerations such as certain common alternating left/right hand patterns. Some compromise was necessary to arrange the material first for tabla samples and then for General MIDI conga and bongo, but the general feeling of the composition comes through.

The Right Head

A mixture of manganese dust, boiled rice, and tamarind juice is worked on to the right head of the mridangam in order to increase the pitch of the note. This creates a permanent large black circle in the middle of the drum head. The note of the head is tuned to the tonic. Different harmonics of the head are produced by various finger combinations. The listed syllables are a very rough guide for some possible interpretations.

Suggested substitutions: If mridangam samples are not available, samples of tabla fundamentals and harmonics may be adapted, or try mixing sampled string harmonics with a conga sample.

Right head MIDI map (all channel 10):



D#3/C3 together = all fingers on middle of head

syllables: tam, dum (all involve both drums, see left head)



D#3 = middle fingers on middle of head

syllables: dhi, ki, mi; both drums: dim



C#3 = first finger near spot

syllables: din (both drums)



C3 = first finger near edge

syllables: na, ta



C3/C#3 together = second finger on border

syllables: lang; both drums: ding, tang



D3 = dampened

syllables: ka, ta

The Left Head

The left head of the mridangam is left bare, but when it is played, a mixture of boiled rice, water and ashes is put in the center. This helps give it its characteristic dull sound.

Suggested substitutes: sampled bayan  (the low pitch drum of the tabla pair) without any pitch modulation and tweaked to make a very dull sound, sampled conga.

Left head MIDI map (all channel 10):



E3 = all fingers

syllables: ta; both drums: na, ta, tam, tang



D#3 = middle fingers

syllables: di, ju; both drums: dim, din, ding, dum, gu



D3 = dampened

syllables: ri

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