INDEX Page Number 1. 2. 4. 5. 7. 11.

Section 1 Object of the book Short History Classification of the instrument Origin of the instruments Reasons for their use Interpretation Seating arrangements for Pujas Brief description of the functions of the various high lamas Section 2 14. Introduction How to mark a text

THE TANTRIC MUSIC OF THE DRUPGYUD KARMA KAMSANG

TRADITION OF TIBETAN BUDDHISM OBJECT The object of this book is three fold : Firstly, to enable anyone interested in the Ritual aspect of this tradition to gain some knowledge of the basic terms and methods of playing the instruments used in the pujas. Secondly, to understand the methods of reading and writing the music used. Thirdly, to know both the English and Tibetan terms for the instruments and parts of the instruments. HISTORY Within the Karma Kamsang there are two main traditions of playing the ritual music, Tsurphu and Palpung. The names of these traditions are derived from the monasteries which developed and perfected those particular styles. Tsurphu monastery was established first and developed its traditions of music, mandala, torma and lama dancing. Palpung was founded later by Situ Pema Nyingjay at the time of the 11 th Karmapa Yeshe Dorje and the 12th Karmarpa Changchup Dorge. Situ Pema Nyingjay studied and wrote a treatise on the Tsurphu tradition, which he used as the basis for all the rituals at Palpung monastery. This treatise proved to be an invaluable document, because, at the time of the 12th Karmapa the Tsurphu tradition began to decline. The monks from Tsurphu had to go to Palpung monastery and study the treatise written by Situ Pema in order to correct the errors within their own tradition !. This treatise is now at Rumtele monastery and is the document referred to concerning any doubts which arise regarding the rituals of the Karma Kamsang. The Palpung tradition, according to the oral instructions of Tenga Tulka is explained here.

THE CLASSIFICATION OF INSTRUMENTS USED There are three main groups of instruments used in the ritual music and according to Western classification they are,

a) Percussion b) Wind c) Reed a) The Percussion Instruments

There are 3 groups 1) 2) 3) Symbols Drums Bell

1. The different kinds of Symbols used are : Rolmo : Symbols with a large dome or bell Silnyen : Symbols with a small dome or bell Tingsha : crotals or antique symbols which are small, thick symbols 2. The different kinds of Drum used are : Large drum Large hand held drum - support /handle held in left hand Damaru - small hour glass drum Cho Drum - larger hour glass drum 3. A small hand bell, which is played on its own or in conjuction with a dorje or voyra. The dorje does not play an active part in the music but does have a great significance in the ritual context. b) The Wind Instruments

There are 4 in all, The Long Horn or Radong The Short Horn or Kangling The Thigh bone trumpet (a kind of Kangling) The Conch Shell c) The Reed Instruments There is only one, the Jahling which is a Shawm, a double-reed instrument. The reed used is similar to that of an oboe, cor anglais or chanter for bagpipes.

THE ORIGINS OF THE INSTRUMENTS All the instruments used in the Tibetan Tantric rituals take their origin from similar instruments played during the Vedic Rites of India. They were used when offerings were made and to accompany the Ritual dancing. see 123 For more information refer to the teachings of Tenga Tulku, Christmas Course - music and instruments - Samye Ling 85/86.

REASON FOR THEIR USE In, The Tantra of Transformation, it is stated the reason for using so many different instruments is, Tantric or Vajrayana Buddhism uses special skillful means and methods to enable the practitioner to gather the acccumulations of wisdom and merit needed to purify his former unvirtuous actions of body, speech and mind, including the negative emotions which precipitate such unvirtuous activity. The music is primarily used when making offerings. Again, the above Tantra states that while offerings are being made the instruments should be played and a great number used. The practitioner should image, while playing, that light rays emanate from the instruments, radiating to all the Buddha Realms. The practitioner should imagine that the sounds resemble the most pleasant music in this world. This pleasant music is offered to all the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Yidams, dakas, dakinis, Dharma protectors and Gurus. The Buddha stated that in some tantras music was necessary whereas in the Vinaya, with regard to certain practices, it was not to be used eg. The Continuity, which is recited during the summer retreat in Tibet. This retreat lasts for one and a half months. The Buddha gave no specific teaching regarding the types of instruments to be played at specific times during the ritual, nor the choice of intrument according to the peaceful or wrathful aspect of the deity. The Great Tibetan masters such as the Karmapa, longchempa and Sakya Panditor, however have arranged what has to be done within the four main traditions of Tibetan Buddhism. INTERPRETATION Each of the 4 main schools of Buddhism in Tibet have separate traditions of playing the music. Within each of those traditions different styles have developed.. These styles arose in the different monasteries according to the instruments handed down from music master to student. In the larger monasteries each college may have its own style of playing. Hence even within the same monastery different styles of playing have emerged. THE SEATING ARRANGEMENTS FOR PUJAS There are many different layouts, but everyone sits at right angles to the shrine, in lines. The positions of the high lamas appears to be similar, the musicians, however, are seated in different ways according to tradition, size of shrine room used and the number of monks present.

THE FUNCTIONS OF THE VARIOUS HIGH LAMAS The Dorje Lopen He is the ritual master and does the complete visualisation required for the ritual, from the development stage to the completion stage. His tasks include teaching others how to do the visualisation and, in the very elaborate pujas, supervise the lama dancing and mandala construction. The mandala is always opposite the Dorje Lopen and once completed is hidden by a curtain.

The Chopen He is in charge of the organisation of the shrine and the construction of the tormas. In the elaborate pujas he and the Dorje Lopen work together in the preparation, studying the various texts which give the details on how the various aspects of the pujas are to be carried out. THE UMSIE There are two kinds of Umsie, the um chen who is the principal and um choong or assistant umsie who are, The ones in agreement. The is in charge of all the music in then monastery or college and also supervises the teaching of the instruments. During rituals he reads the chanting, setting the tempo by chanting the first few syllables. The pauses between each syllable indicates the speed of the chant. On occasions he may even recite the whole of the first line of the chant. In this tradition the umsie always plays the symbols. He keeps the speed by tapping the symbols together or by tapping his finger on the top symbol. The latter method is often used when there is unaccompanied chanting in order to keep everyone at the same speed. There is usually more than one umsie. The assistants know all the pujas really well and chant very loudly to lead, everyone else following without hesitation. Everyone follows the principal umsie. Again, depending on the size of the monastery the number of umsies will vary. The umsie also decides upon which prayers are to be inserted during the puja eg long life prayers, prayers of good wishes etc. THE MASTER OF DISCIPLINE As the name implies he is in charge of every aspect of discipline within the monastery. He has several assistants, in Palpung monastery there were 4. The master of discipline and his assistants ensure that all the materials needed for the Pujas are available ; instruments, costumes and materials for offerings. They also have to ensure that the traditions of the monastery are complied with. He is responsible for all the Dharma aspects of monastic life. THE PREPARATION FOR THE RITUALS In the very large rituals as many as eight people can be involved in the preparations, for example at Rumtele Tenga Tulku stated that for the Dorje Phurba Drupcho, which is very complicated, 4 umsies, 2 Chopens the varjra master and the master of discipline would meet for 7 consecutive days to discuss the arrangements and make the preparations. THE MUSICIANS As can be seen from the diagrams, there are various combinations which could be used for seating depending on the tradition, space and number of monks present. SECTION 2 INTRODUCTION This section is divided into 2 main parts, a) The marking of the text regarding the chant b) The marking of a text regarding the signs and notation for the different instruments used during the rituals B is subdivided into 2 more categories 1. Notation for Percussion Instruments 2. Notation for Wind Instruments

HOW TO MARK A TEXT is used to mark the text. There are various methods to show where the chanting begins, this is the Palpung method. The end of a section is marked thus, .. The above sign means that the umsie will drop the tone of his voice to stop the chanting. If the chanting is to begin again he will leave a small gap and then lead the chanting in again. Parts of the text which are not to be recited are usually written in small print and contain instructions regarding repeated sections and prayers to be recited etc. The most important of these have red dots placed below them eg To facilitate recognition the small print is marked with yellow, . all the way through as above. Numbers are also written after sections to be repeated as in the above example. The number of times a section is to be repeated is also written in letters afterwards and again, as above, is marked in yellow with the red dots under the instruction. To mark where the drum and symbols play in relation to the chanting, the first few syllables are marked thus To denote where an insert is to be recited, this sign is used or meaning look up or down respectively.

HOW TO READ THE BASIC NOTATION There are 2 forms of the notation, a) b) The short form The long form

a) The short form consists of using the bep sign with small numbers below, eg b) The long form consists of notating each beat to be played, eg . A large number with a red line downwards indicates a quieter beat.

If the number below the basic sign has a little line through it then the very last quiet beat in the sequence is not played eg.. B) AN EXPLANATION OF THE NOTATION USED

The basic signs for each instrument . Please note :- the same sign is used for Jahling and conch, as they always play at the same time during the pujas. No matter which kind of symbol is being played it is generally accompanied by the drum(s), which play exactly the source rhythm. There are however exceptions to this. The Long horn, radong or dung chen, has no specific sign. It generally accompanies the drum and symbols although again there are exceptions. COMBINATIONS OF THE BASIC SIGN BASIC SYMBOL AND DRUM NOTATION The bep .. or . This sign represents a .. played on Silnyen This sign represents a played on Rolmo Description :- a .or. is a series of single symbol and drum beats which begins slowly and loudly becomes faster and slightly louder and then dies away. There are several different kinds of .

DESCRIPTIONS OF DIFFERENT (BEP) THE GREAT BEP A great bep is longer than an ordinery bep or oor with three principal beats before. These three beats are notated and played in a specific way. THE NOTATION looks like this THE METHOD OF PLAYING THE PRINCIPAL BEATS To play each of these principal beats the symbols are stuck together to give the first loud stroke and then allowed to reverberate. There are, however, different approaches used depending upon whether Rolmo or Silnyen are being played.

When playing a great bep using Rolmo more definition is given to the reverberation after the main strike. The thumb is used to control the reverberation of the left hand symbol against the stationary right hand symbol. With Silnyen however, the symbols are struck together for the principal beat allowed to reverberate off one another as opposed to one symbol being stationary. NOTATION FOR A GREAT BEP .. Each of the above examples means exactly the same , the only difference being the kind of symbols used to play them. THE DOUBLE BEP OR OOR As the names implies this means playing 2 beps one after the other. The first is an ordinary bep. The first is an ordinary bep. The second is shorter and consists of a series of single beats (strokes). It begins quietly, gradually becomes louder and then quieter again. There is no specific notation for this. The player has to memorise where this occurs in the text eg during the sequences used for Invocation and Tashi prayers. Although there is no specific notation for there is a notation for Invocation and for Tashi prayers, which contains Bep Ryee. This indicates that all the beats are longer ie they all look like this.. A TABLE OF BASIC SIGNS FOR DRUMS AND SYMBOLS This table contains the very basic signs for both the short and long form of notation. This includes the Tibetan and phonetic term for each rhythmic pattern. It should be noted that the basic patterns for both rolmo and silnyen are the same it is only the sign indicating the type of symbol to be used which changes.

AN EXPLANATION OF SHAROL Sharol is called putting down music, meaning that no instruments are to be played. It informs everyone that there is to be a passage with no fixed metre a series of mantras or for offerings. AN EXPLANATION OF TSAM JA It is an indication like this . And means that the .. symbols and chanting stop for a breif time, an accent being played on the drums and symbols on the last or second last syllable before the chanting stops. This is followed by a weaker beat on the last syllable which is played in the lap of the umsie. After a short pause the drum, symbols and chanting begin again. They play at the same speed as before. The . May also be followed by a passage of no fixed metre (free chants) or mantra recitation. THE BEATS WHICH ARE PLAYED BEFORE A . SOOM BEP There are 2 signs for Soom Bep, .. This applies to Silnyen - Short form of notation .. This applies to Rolmo

Both signs mean the same . . play a Soom dung before a bep long form of notation A complete sequence looks like this Short Form Long Form

.can also combine with Sharol eg .. BEATS WITHOUT A PRECEDING BEP .can all be played on their own The sign used is . For rolmo .. for Silnyen As before the number is placed below to indicate which is to be played. Eg Short form Long form

OFFERING MUSIC CHOROL .. Chorol .. means, literally, offering music. Chorol is peaceful music played on (Silnyen) . Which can serve many purposes eg Invitation praise blessing, tashi prayers etc as well as for offering. A TABLE OF SIGNS USED FOR CHOROL .. It should be noted that it is only on rare occasions that the kangling and silnyen play together. One example is that of the Invitation of the Deity at the beginning of the Mahatala puga. AN EXPLANATION OF CHOROL OR OFFERING MUSIC The derivations of the different traditions. There appears to be 3 main traditions of Chirol. Sarma Old Terma

New Terma SARMA This tradition is derived from the outer Tantric teachings given by the Buddha in his life time. These teachings were brought to Tibet by Atisa, during the second spreading of the Dharma. NEW TERMA This tradition is derived from the terton lineage of Choljur Lingpa. Both the old and new Terma traditions are based on the Inner Tantric teachings and arose in the minds of these tertons. A terton is, literally, someone who discovers terma texts, which are hidden by Guru Rinpoche after they had been written down by his consort Yeshe Tsogyal. All the great tertons were prophesied by Guru Rinpoche. As the texts and music arose from the pure states of mind of these tertons, they are very beneficial to play. SOME EXAMPLES OF WHERE THESE CHIROL ARE PLAYED Sarma Chirol is played in the Mahakala and Dorje Palnio pujas by both the Nyingma and Kagyu traditions. Old Terma Chirol is played in the Anitabka and Guru Rinpoche pujas. New or Tersar Chirol is played in both the Dorje Phurka and the Guru Rinpoche pujas. This concludes the section dealing with the basic signs and notations used. This is merely a beginning, there are many combinations which will have to be learnt from a music master or qualified lama.

SECTION 3 NOTATION FOR WIND INSTRUMENTS The different kinds of wind instruments used in Puja are Longhorn Kangling Conch The basic notation for all three is quite simple : the thicker the line the louder you play, the thinner the line the quieter you play. . In Western music this is known as a gradual crescendo then diminuendo. This is a smooth peaceful sound. SPECIFIC NOTATION FOR EACH INSTRUMENT The Longhorn This instrument has three names in Tibetan a) Longhorn .. doong chen

b) Red Conch . Doong mar c) Radung.Radong There are 5 basic sounds Dor low Kandor Medium Jang Middle Tsak Loud Jang Tir hig Two of those sounds have a specific sign Dor and Kandor

The instructions regarding which sound to play are written at the side of the music . The instructions on how to play these sounds are written in combination with the above. .. Several common terms are used. They are listed below .. means long (phonetic ring) .. means short (phonetic Toong) .. means continue (Phonetic Joon) .. means blow slowly (phonetic Dal Boo) ..means a pair of (phonetic Cha Chik) . Means very and is combined with some of the above, eg. A very long Jang Three other signs are used to indicate a specific method of playing: they are (Phonetic Be Che) which means to cut off completely This means the volume is rapidly increased and then ceases abruptly. (Phonetic or) which means eddy or whirlpool . This means play a Jang increasing the volume, then, gradually decrease the volume and pitch at the same time until playing a Kandor. The player then continues playing a Jang.

Drak .. This means wrathful or rough, producing a rasping, coarse sound. EXAMPLES OF LONG HORN NOTATION . This completes the section on Notation for long horn. NOTATION FOR KANGLING As explained previously, the basic idea of the notation is the thinner the line the quieter the note is played, the thicker the line the louder it is played. For Kangling there are three basic patterns This sign can appear on the basic notation one to four times depending on the purpose of the music. .. Be Che is also applied to Kangling playing. The notation then looks like this. The same notation applies to the thigh bone trumpet or bone kangling. NOTATION FOR THE CONCH The same principle applies as before: the thicker the line the louder the sound, the thinner the line the quieter the sound ie .. During puja the conch has no specific music to play, the sound produced is the note used. Two conchs are used, the players breathing alternatively. This produces a continuous sound. There are certain circumstances where specific notation is used. Examples are given in the music text. In this section a description of the instruments will be given followed by instructions on how to play each one. They are presented in the order in which they are traditionally taught, Drum Rolmo and Silnyen Radong .. THE DRUM Tibetan . Phonetic, Nga Two main kinds of drum are used in the rituals, The Large drum . The hand held drum

THE LARGE DRUM This drum consists of 4 main parts a) The drum shell b) The drum skin or hide c) The drum frame or throne d) The drum supports THE HAND HELD DRUM This consists of 3 main parts a) The drum shell b) The drum skin or hide c) The drum handle Please refer to the photograph opposite

THE TYPES OF BEATER USED Two kinds of beater are used, For the . Two beaters with soft heads ae used, they are called .. Nga Yook which means drumstick For the hand held drum.. a single beater made from a bent metal rod with a wooden handle and a wooden playing end or tip is used This is called a .Nga Chak According to Shakya Panditas music text, the drum should be played in the following way, the different parts of the drum are related to the mandala of the universe in the following way according to Candragomin. Mt Meru and the 4 continents are exactly in the middle of the drum skin. The plains are the area from the edge of the drum skin to mt meru and the 4 continents. The rock boundary is the rim of the drum. The mountains are the shell of the drum. See next page for Drawing NOT SURE ABOUT THIS PAGE THE PRACTICAL ASPECTS OF PLAYING These aspects are dealt with in the following order : How to sit when playing The positioning of the drum Where to strike the drum The method of playing the drum

HOW TO SIT To play either kind of drum the musician should sit in the vajra posture or cross legged, keeping a straight back holding the beaters in a relaxed manner. The fingers and wrists should be relaxed. THE POSITIONING OF THE DRUM It seems as if the drums can be placed on either side of the player depending on which side of the shrine the drum is to be played. According to Sakya Pandita, the hand held drum should be in line, held at the same height and angle, in such a way as to resemble a line of crescent moons. WHERE TO STRIKE THE DRUM The best position to strike the hand held drum is five to seven fingers width from the bottom of the drum. Neither should the drum be played in the centre or near the, as this creates a sound which does not have a good quality or tumbre. The same applies to the larger . THE METHOD OF PLAYING Little effort should be used when playing the drum, the beater or beaters being handled . With the fingers and wrists, using only the weight of the beater itself for momentum. The drummer generally follows the exact patterns played by the umsie on the symbols. THE SYMBOLS As explained previously, there are 3 kinds of symbol used during the pujas : Silnyen Mahayana .Rolmo Vajrayana Tingsha All three types of symbol consist of 3 main parts : a) The bell or doe b) The main body c) The symbol strap or handle Silnyen are this symbols with a medium sized dome Refer to the video Rolmo are slightly thicker symbols with a large dome Refer to the video Tingsha are small thick symbols which have a very small dome Refer to the video THE INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO PLAY EACH KIND OF SYMBOL. HOW TO SIT WHEN PLAYING The sitting position is exactly the same as for playing the drum, the player should sit either in the Vajra posture or cross legged, keeping the spine straight. This applies to all kinds of symbols. HOW TO PICK UP AND PUT DOWN THE SYMBOLS The method used for Rolmo and Silnyen is the same: for tingsha there is no specific method.

First, pick up with the left hand followed by the right. To put down, the right symbol is first, the left hand symbol is then placed on top of the first. SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS FOR EACH KIND OF SYMBOL THE SILNYEN (symbolise Mahayana - always below rolmio) How to hold the Silnyen The Silnyen should be held by gripping the bell or dome of the symbol between the thumb and first finger, the other fingers being used as support. This method is used for both hands. An alternative method for the left hand is to grip the symbol strap between the thumb and first finger enclosing the strap with the remaining fingers resting the heel of the hand on the dome. Either method is acceptable. THE PLAYING POSITION FOR SILNYEN They should be held at the centre of the body, in a diagonal line between the right shoulder and left knee, the left hand above the right. The right elbow should be placed slightly to the front of the rib cage, the left hand at the side of the body, creating a crescent moon shape where the symbols overlap. The right symbol is the further forward. HOW TO STRIKE THE SILNYEN TOGETHER Refer to the video. First, hold the symbols between half inch and one inch apart. .. Strike the lower edges together by moving the wrists outwards . Strike the top edges together by moving the wrists inwards . This will produce two separate sounds, the first should be quieter than the second. You should practise this until the first and second sounds follow each other in quick succession. This is the basis for all Silnyen playing. Each of these double strokes is counted as one beat regarding the rhythmic patterns discussed previously, irrespective of whether you are required to play loudly or quietly. THE SYMBOL ROLL This applies only to Silnyen and is used in some of the various forms of Chirol. HOW TO PLAY THE SYMBOL ROLL The silnyen are held as before and both the top edges and the bottom edges are struck together one after the other repeatedly. It is very important that both symbols are held in a relaxed manner. This produces a series of single notes with an underlying continuous sound. PAY KOR - literally, Lotus Round This means, rotate the edge of the right hand symbol against the inner circumference of the body of the left hand symbol. There are two methods of execution.

Rotate the symbol in the top half of the left hand symbol .. Rotate the symbol around outer edge of the left hand symbol .

THE ROLMO (Vayrayana - always placed on top of silnyen) HOW TO HOLD THE ROLMO The left hand symbol is held by placing the strap between the first and second fingers, the thumb supporting the symbol on the dome. The other fingers are spread over the dome to provide further support. The left hand is below. The right hand symbol is held by gripping the symbol strap between the first finger and thumb, the other fingers forming a partial cone around the strap: the heel of the hand rests against the bell of the symbol. As photo. The right hand is above. THE PLAYING POSITION They should be held to form a diagonal line between the left shoulder and the right leg - the opposite of the position used for playing Silynen. The elbow positions are the same, the crescent moon shape formed by the top symbol overlapping the bottom one. HOW TO STRIKE THE ROLMO TOGETHER As before the bottom two edges are struck together first. The top two edges are then struck together. The same kind of wrist movements are used as before when playing silnyen, the first note being quieter than the second main sound. This is to be practiced until both notes sound very close together and fluency occurs. In general, the second note played during a single strike of either kind of symbol is allowed to reverberate, the edges of the symbols touching each other gently. They should never be played directly together as this may crack or damage them. Symbols cannot be repaired. When the symbols are not in use they are separated by a cushion called a Barstang to prevent the surfaces from becoming damaged. TINSHAK In Western music they are called crotales or antique symbols. They are small thick symbols which produce a very bright sound. THE METHOD OF PICKING UP AND PUTTING DOWN There is no specific way to pick them up or put them down except that they are placed one on top of the other. They dont have a protective cushion between them. HOW TO HOLD THE TINGSHAK Both the right and left hands hold each symbol in the same way. The strap is held between the first finger and thumb.

HOW TO PLAY THE TINGSHA They are sounded by striking the edge of the lower with the edge of the uppermost one. There are two methods. The right hand tingshak is always used to strike the left hand Tingshak. Begin (ring) with the right hand as in 1 , then reverse the hand positions so that the left hand Tingshak is used to strike the other. THE DAMARU, BELL AND DORJE The Damaru (or hour glass Drum) There are two kinds of Damaru, the large and the small. For general use, the small damaru is used, for Chod practice, the larger is used. The small one produces a higher pitched sound than the larger Chod drum. THE DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE DAMANU The drum consists of six different parts. The shell ..Darsking The skin.Darpa The waistband..Kechu The clappers of beaters .Darlung The tassle .Darpen The names of these different parts are the same for both kinds of Damanu HOW TO SIT WHEN PLAYING The player should be seated, as before, in the vajra posture or cross legged with a straight back. HOW TO PICK UP THE DAMANU To pick up the drum, use the first finger and thumb of the right hand to grip the strap or handle, the thumb nearest the body. The other three fingers should grip the strap. The thumb and first finger are now on the waist band of the drum. The drum should be held level with the right shoulder, the forearm held upright so that the clappers hand straight down. This is the playing position. HOW TO PLAY Two methods are commonly used. For faster playing, the first finger and thumb are used, alternatively the direction of movement, away from the body and towards the body so that both clappers strike opposite sides of the drum at the same time. For slower playing, a combination of thumb and finger rotation and wrist movement are used. For the small damanu both methods are used, but the Chod damaru requires more use of the second method when playing. HOW TO PUT THE DAMANU DOWN

Place the damanu so that the thumb is facing upwards, the handle pointing towards the body with the tassle folded under the shell of the drum. This enables it to be picked up easily when required.

THE BELL THE DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE BELL It consists of 5 parts The Bell PalaceDrilbu potrang The Mouth .Drilbu Yerka The Bell Tongue (clapper)..Drilchek The NeckDrilkeh The Head or Handle.Drilbuutsek HOW TO SIT The position is the same as before: the Vajra Posture, or cross legged with a straight back. HOW TO HOLD THE BELL The bell is held by the handle between the thumb and first two fingers of the left hand. HOW TO PLAY There are three methods Thumb and finger movement Wrist movement Forearm and wrist movement Any of these methods is acceptable. The practitioners must be able to play consecutive single beats which can vary in speed, from quite slow to quite fast. Two of the above methods appear to be used for this, either the thumb and finger movement or the forearm and wrist movement. The bell is always played while holding the dorje or vaja in the right hand, or in combination with the damaru. THE BELL AND DORJE OR VAJRA The different parts of the Dorje Prongs .. Makaras head. Lotus. Center HOW TO PICK UP THE DORJE The dorje is picked up using the right hand and is held in one of two ways: The dorje rests in the palm of the hand encircled by the thumb. It is held in front of and pointing slightly away from the heart centre.

It is also held as if in a prayer, gripped between the thumb and the palm of the hand, positioned vertically and placed at the heart centre. The first method is generally used eg. During praises and invocations, whereas the second method is used during confession, the 100 syllable mantra, alphabet prayer and the Epitome of Interdependence. Please note that there are other ritual gestures used that involve the use of the dorje, only the very basic ones have been dealt with here. PLAYING THE BELL AND DAMANU TOGETHER There are three general methods of playing: Continuous ringing of the bell and continuous roll on the Damanru Single beats on both A combination of one and two CONTINUOUS RINGING AND ROLL This method is used when all the instruments play together in group practice SINGLE BEATS This means sounding the bell and damaru beats at the same time and usually accompanies chanting ONE AND TWO COMBINED This method is used when the practitioner is on his own while practicing the puja or sadhana. It is also employed by the Dorje Lopon during larger monastic ceremonies THE PLACING OF THE DAMARU, BELL AND DORJE There are two methods of laying out these three, The old terma and sarma traditions The Tersar or New terma traditions OLD TERMA AND SARMA In both these traditions, the damaru is placed on ones left, the bell on the right and the dorje in the middle TERSAR OR NEW TERMA In this tradition, the damaru is placed on the right, the bell on the left and the dorje in the middle.

THE WIND INSTRUMENTS The Kangling This is a kind of short horn which produces a sound similar to that of a hunting horn. There are two kinds or kangling Metal Bone THE DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE METAL KANGLING There are 3 main parts, The mouth piece The joint and joint adornment The mouth, which resembles the shape of a fishes mouth THE SPECIFIC QUALITIES OF THE BONE KANGLING The bone kangling is made from a human thigh bone and is called the thigh bone trumpet. A good thigh bone should have the following qualities, The right nodule at the end of the bone should be higher than the left. The space between the nodules is called the path of spirits and should be wide. Down from the nodules there is a slight hollow which should be smooth as this is where the dakenis dance. The ridge down the centre of the thigh bone is said to be the life pillar of the yogi and should be straight. The two holes beneath the nodules represent the cave of Padampa Sangye. This completes the description and qualities of both kinds of Kangling PRACTICAL ASPECT OF PLAYING THE KANGLING There is no specific method for picking up and laying down the instrument HOW TO HOLD THE KANGLING The instrument is held with the thumb beneath and the fingers gripping round the top, near to the mouthpiece in the case of the metal instrument or near to the end not far from the bottom lip in the case of the thigh bone trumpet. Either type can be held with the mouth of the instrument pointing upwards or downwards on which ever side of the mouth the player wishes. In the Kagyu Tradition the mouth and nodules usually point upwards. LOCATING THE PLAYING POSITIONS The playing position is located by sticking the tongue out of the corner of the mouth into the blowhole in the center of the mouthpiece of the kangling, then with drawing the tongue and keeping the kangling pressed gently against the lips. CREATING THE CORRECT SOUND The kangling should be held gently against the lips, the part of the mouth through which the air is to pass should be slightly open and relaxed. The remaining areas of the lips should be held together but not too tightly, as the less the pressure used, the better the quality of sound.

THE METHOD OF PLAYING As explained previously in the section dealing with notation 1 2 3 or 4 beats are used.

The above applies to both the metal and bone instruments SPECIFIC USES FOR EACH KIND THE METAL KANGLING This is used to represent the wrathful aspects of deities in all pujas and ceremonies THE THIGH BONE TRUMPET This is used specifically for the Chod practice which is derived from the tradition of Machig Lapdron and Padampa Sangye THE CONCH THE DIFFERENT KINDS There are two kinds of conch, those with a right handed spiral and those with a left handed spiral. The right hand spiral type are very common whereas the left hand spiral type are rare. According to Tenga Tulka this rare type of conch should be kept on the main shrine and only removed during the performance of a ceremony. THE PLAYING POSITION Just as for the kangling the playing position is located through the positioning of the tongue in the mouthpiece and again using the diaphragm to control the loudness and quietness of the sound. Either side of the mouth may be used and there is no particular way to hold it. After playing, the conch is always placed with the mouth downwards. THE METHOD OF PLAYING As with the kangling, the lips should be relaxed and it should be blown with little pressure, not holding the instruments too tightly against the lips as this causes the sound to be strained or blocks off the passage of air altogether. Two conches are used together, the players breathing alternately in order to create a continuous sound. The conch and the jahling always play together and represent the peaceful aspects of deities. NOTATION There is no specific notation used during the pujas, only that given for the specific circumstances written in the music text at the end of the book.

THE RADUNG This instrument is also known as Dung Chen or Dung Mar

THE DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE INSTRUMENT Mouth piece - blowing saucer Ist Section Joint Joint Adornment Middle Section Joint Joint Adornment Joint Adornment Joint Adornment Mouth Mouth Adornment THE DIFFERENT KINDS There are different lengths and bore sizes of Radong, varying in length from two to six metres, but all are used for the same purpose, as a ceremonial horn. The larger the instrument the deeper and richer the tone of the sound produced. They are made in three sections which fit together telescopically to enable easy storage and assembly. TAKING CARE OFTHE INSTRUMENT Radungs are made from copper, are very fragile and must be handled very carefully. Preparatory to playing, while assembling the instrument, the musician must ensure that the sections are not pulled together too strongley as they may stick, causing problems with breaking the instrument down after playing. During playing the copper expands due to the heat of the breath making it very difficult to free the joints. The effort require to free the joints could very easily damage the soft copper. Care must also be taken when picking up and putting down the instrument during a ceremony as the thin end nearest the mouthpiece can bend very easily. During playing the mouth of the instrument is usually placed on a wooden block with a groove in it to protect the end and keep it off the ground. The block is supported on 4 wheels to allow the radung to move during the picking up and putting down of the instrument when its not required to be played. The radung is never left standing on end when fully assembled as a fall could seriously damage the instrument or even break the thinner end off completely. The only time the radung is placed on its end is when it has been broken down after a ceremony and is ready for storage THE PLAYING POSITION This is the same as before, either the vajra posture or cross legged with a straight spine.

PICKING UP AND PUTTING DOWN THE INSTRUMENT The instrument is usually placed on the right leg when not being played and picked up with the right hand. There is no particular method for holding the instrument and putting down is the reverse of picking up. THE LIP POSITION OR OMBACHURE Each of the basic sounds has a different ombachure or lip position in order to produce the required sound. These basic sounds, in order of pitch, going from the lowest to the highest are

Dor Chen Kandor Jang Tsak Tir THE DOR CHEN OR GREAT DOR This the lowest sounding note played on the radong, and two methods can be used to make this sound, either is acceptable. Or Place the lower lip slightly below the central hole of the mouthpiece and the top lip against the outer ring of the mouth piece pushing the chin slightly forward. The lower lip should be relaxed to allow it to vibrate off the base of the mouthpiece, which gives the Dor its characteristic rasping sound. The second method is to place the lower lip above the centre of the mouthpiece with the top lip positioned as before. Again the bottom lip is held loosely allowing it to vibrate off the mouthpiece to recreate the required sound. A considerable pressure of air is required , the vibration sometimes causing the bottom lip to split. It is said once this has happened and the lip has healed the player creates a much better Dor sound. The Dor is a loud rasping sound. THE KANDOR This sound is the next highest in pitch to the Dor and requires a lot less breath. Both lips should be slightly pouting inside the mouthpiece and should be relaxed to allow the lips to vibrate inside the bell of the mouthpiece. THE JANG This is the middle level of sound and is produced through keeping the mouthpiece flat against the face and the lips slightly taut. Little pressure should be used to play Jang with no protusion of the lips. Both lips should be exactly in the middle of the mouthpiece and the air should be blown gently. TSAK Tsak is a louder version of Jang and requires a greater amount of air pressure. It has to be blown harder. The lips should vibrate off the mouth piece when playing Tsak. BE CHET Be Chet is a sound caused by beginning with a jang, becoming louder to Tsak which comes to a sudden stop. There appear to be two kinds, Be Chet, one which stops suddenly and goes straight back down to a Jang, the other, which stops abruptly. Refer to the section on notation for examples of this. TIR This is the highest pitch of note used in the sequences played. To produce this sound, the playing position is exactly the same for Jang, except that the lips are pursed tightly together, in order to produce the high note.

OR This is another charactic sequence which combines the Jang and Kandor. The sound is produced by first playing a short Jang which gradually increases in volume. The pitch and loudness then drop together until the Kandor sound is played. This is then followed by a Jang. The Kandor can be short or long depending on the music being played. The above sounds are the most commonly used. There are others (sounds) which are extensions or variations on the above. These variations include special sequences which are played when welcoming high lamas. They combine playing and special movements of the radong. The radong is held in the air while the playing and these special movements made during the playing. These, however, can be taught by qualified lamas and will not be dealt with here. REED INSTRUMENTS There is only one reed instrument used, it is called THE JAHLING

The Jahling is a double reed instrument, which in western music would be called a shawm. Of all the instruments this is the only one which produces a clearly defined pitch. The music is not written down but is taught orally and by example, through imitating the teacher and singing the tune at the same time. The tunes are learnt on a piece of stick, that is, the fingerings are learnt using the above method, after which the student would be allowed to play the instrument, only once they had mastered the circular breathing technique used while playing. Jahlings are made in pairs and played in the same pairs to enable the sounds produced to be as near in pitch as possible. The reeds used are also made in pairs for the same reason. Thus, the instruments and reeds match each other. This is important because the players have to listen to each other and play in tune with each other.

THE DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE JAHLING The instrument has 7 holes and a thumb hole. The main parts of Jahling are The Mouth The Mouth Adornment Joint Joint Adornment Main body - the intermediate wood Joint adornments Arrow tip 4 corners and 8 sides Foot wall Water vase Bloung Saucer

Silver Cord Reed .. .. .. JAHLING REEDS The reeds are made from hollow fibrous type of dried grass. HOW TO MAKE THE REEDS THE TOOLS REQUIRED A very sharp knife or scalpel A small round file Medium and smooth sandpaper A thin piece of wood which is tapered at on end (a chop stick is very useful for this) A reel of strong thread (button thread is ideal) A piece of copper tube with a wooden handle A piece of steel or steel tube with a wooden handle A thin half moon shaped wood HOW TO MAKE A REED BLANK Cut the grass to a length of 5 or 6 cms, then square off the ends using the medium sandpaper. Next remove the pithy covering on the inside of the grass tube by means of the small round file. Use the scalpel to make a shallow incision 2 cms in from each end of the tube, all the way round. Taper the grass from the centre to the incision just made. The taper should be 1 or 2 cms long. It should be tapered from the original diameter to the depth of the incision. From the incision just made, make the material taper towards in centre of the tube. This is done from both ends. The grass which is quite coarse on the outside, now has to be shaved smooth using the scalpel. Care should be taken not to remove any more material than is absolutely necessary, removing the rough, fibrous parts and no more. If too much material is removed then the life of the reed will be greatly reduced. The grass should now look like this .. The hard grass now has to be softened and made pliable. To do this the grass tube is put in the mouth to allow the salva to soften it. This takes a little while. It is best if the reed is quite soft, so, the longer it is held in the mouth the better. Another method is to place the grass in boiling water, which softens, it very quickly indeed. Having softened the reed, place it on the end of the tapered chop stick. .. Attach and secure the thread to the end of tube as shown, using a double strand. The next stage has to be done very carefully, or otherwise the end of the grass tube could easily be sliced off. Bind the doubled thread around the grass tightly and evenly with no gaps, for a distance of 6mm (roughly) so that the grass follows the taper of the chop stick

end. Tie off the end of the thread and cut it leaving 3 or 4 cms hanging. Remove the chop stick end from the grass, very carefully. This process is repeated at the other end of the grass tube creating the end of the reed which fits on to the arrow tip of the Jahling. Dont bind the grass too tightly as this may cause difficulty when removing the tapered insert. Photo The tube now has to be flattened in the middle which can either be done by using hand pressure or heated metal. If using metal, steel makes the reed very hard, copper softer. The hand method, pressing and rubbing the reed using pressure between the thumb and first finger, makes the softest reed and is considered to be the best method to use. If using heated metal the grass must be kept moist, saliva apparently being ideal for the purpose. Whichever method is used, the idea is to close the gap completely, forming a flat from both sides of the grass tube. Photo. The grass is now cut, forming two reed blanks which look like this Photo They are then cut to shape and should now look like this Photo.. It should now look like a Jahling reed, although its doubtful whether it will make a sound yet. The finishing work now has to be done on both reeds to enable them to be played.

WORKING ON THE REED First of all, the end nearest the thread must be bulbous in shape. If it isnt then wet the reed with salvia, open it up and using the then length of half moon shaped wood, press the rounded part of the wood upwards slightly away from the threaded end of the reed. This is done all the way round. To make the reed more bulbous. The reed should now be closed and dried out, either by gently rubbing it between the thumb and finger or by gently rubbing it on a soft piece of cloth. The next stage is to chamfer the tip of the reed using fine sand paper. Dont remove too much material as this reduces the working life of the reed. TESTING THE REED Wet the reed with saliva to open the tip to encourge it to open keep it warm (cupping in the hands is a convenient method). When it is slightly open blow through it and if it gives shrill pee sound its time to try it on the Jahling. First moisten the thread on the arrow tip and place the tapered end on ensuring that is on firmly, then blow. If the reed is good it should be possible to play up and down the instrument with no breaks to the sound.

There are quite a few problems which can now arise, especially for the inexperienced reedmaker. The reed may still require shaping and rubbing for a considerable time before it becomes a good reed to play. Reed making requires a great deal of patience and is a lengthy process, the outcome of which can never be certain. There may for example be a flaw in the grass which has gone unnoticed. If the operation has been successful however, the last things to be made are two small wooden plugs, which fit the tapered end of the reed to protect the shape. These plugs are attached to the reed by means of the excess thread left when making the taper. Tie the thread on to the plug. The reeds are very delicate and should be stored carefully. THE BREATHING To play the Jahling, circular breathing is used, which means there is a continuous stream of air moving through the reed. This is accomplished by holding air in the cheeks while blocking off the mouth with the tongue and at the same time breathing in through the nose. The cheek muscles are used to expel the air at a constant pressure as the air is breathed in, the tongue gradually moving forward to allow the air from the lungs to take over from the stored air in the cheeks. The air in the lungs must be kept at the same pressure as that in the cheeks through diaphragm control. This process has to be repeated continuously so that theres no break in the flow of air and hence no break in the music being played. TO DEVELOP THE TECHNIQUE OF CIRCULAR BREATHING The beginner practices by using a straw and a glass filled with water. The student then proceeds to blow through the straw which is placed in the water. When there is a continuous stream of air bubbles then the student has succeeded. This however does require a fair degree of practice to perfect. Until this is perfected the jahling cant be played satisfactorily, as the tunes are very long and have no breaks. The melodies are passed down from teacher to student and have never been written down, therefore only after having fulfilled all requirements regarding the learning of the tunes and the circular breathing may the student play the instrument. HOW TO PICK UP THE JAHLING There are seven finger holes and one thumb hole on a jahling. It is common for the bottom finger hole to be covered as many of the tunes played only require the use of the top six holes, the covering being removed when necessary. The left hand is used for the bottom three holes: the first three fingers covering those holes and the thumb acting as a support. When seven holes are used, the little finger covers the bottom hole. The right hand is used for the top three holes, again, the first three fingers being used, and the thumb is used to cover the thumb hole at the back of the intrument. The Jahling is lifted to shoulder height with the fingers in the above positions. The elbows should be at shoulder height with the jahling held straight out in front. As there is no written notation for the jahling further instruction must be obtained from a qualified teacher. There now follow a chart which gives a very general description of where and for what reason the various instruments are played. INSTRUMENT ASPECT OF DEITY REASON FOR PLAYING

Peaceful

All these instruments are used for offering praises, invitation, and for calling down the blessing of the peaceful aspect of deities

Silryen Jahling Conch Bell Damanu Peaceful and wrathful