Gayatri Mantra (integra-7)
Channel: Stefaan Himpe
Date: 2020-08-29

Time for some meditation. 

The Gayatri Mantra is from one of the oldest existing texts in an Indo-European language, the Rig Veda, which was composed somewhere between 1700 BCE and 1100 BCE (this is, back when Europe was still in its prehistory). It is a highly revered mantra associated with the rites of passage ceremonies for Hindus. Mantras are prayers/poems that one is supposed to recite endlessly (or - according to other sources - 108 times) and that supposedly have all kinds of beneficial effects on mind and body. Because of this endless recitation, the music doesn't really end. It is composed so it can be played in an endless loop.

Important: for the full experience, you ought to pick the voice that suits you most and sing/chant along (or improvise your own melody on top of the music). The singing is important because of the effect it has on your breathing. Traditionally, there's some insistence on preserving pronunciation and accent as accurately as possible. This is related to the belief that the potency of the mantras lies in their sound when pronounced. Originally it was also forbidden for women to chant these words, but luckily the majority of the world has moved past such arbitrary restrictions. I've sung all the parts but the end result was not good enough to my taste (especially the higher voices) so I've left off my singing in this recording. I have to warn you though, if you sing along with the recording chances are it will be stuck in your head for a while.

The lyrics:

om bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ
tát savitúr váreṇ(i)yaṃ
bhárgo devásya dhīmahi
dhíyo yó naḥ prachodayāt
– Rigveda 3.62.10

Many translations and interpretations of the Sanskrit words exist, but I've chosen one from Monier Monier-Williams (1882), as found on wikipedia, that is perhaps a bit more down-to-earth:

Let us meditate on that excellent
glory of the divine vivifying Sun,
May It enlighten our understandings.

In contrast to many prayers, this prayer does not ask for forgiveness. Instead it asks Savitur (the Sun) for clarity/illumination of the mind. Clearly something the world could use a bit more of...  https://www.yogaspirit.com.au/blog/gayatri-mantra gives more explanation about all the Sanskrit words. 

While looking up what the words mean one website ended its explanation with an invitation: "now that you understand a bit more about mantra, maybe one day you will compose your own version". Well... of course! Not "one day", but "today" :) 

Originally I assumed that these mantras had a kind of "official melody" associated to them (like Gregorian chant from the Catholic tradition). And indeed, there is a particular way of chanting the Vedas called vedic chanting and in that system there is a specified way to chant the mantra (see https://www.yogaspirit.com.au/blog/gayatri-mantra at the bottom of the page). 

However, by now many versions exist that do not follow this official melody. By far the most impressive version (in my humble opinion at least) that I've come across is the one by Deva Premal (singer extra-ordinaire) and Miten (guitar), with flute solos by Manose - be sure to look it up and give it a listen as well (e.g. here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IFlaG45xM8 ).

Synthesizer is again the Roland Integra-7, with a heavily customized Pad Sound and an "Indian Drum Kit". A large component of the drum sounds consist of tabla sounds. Tabla is a set of two drums which can produce a large variety of sounds. Indian musicians communicate drum patterns using "bol"s, short words that indicate what kind of sound is to be produced. To make the drum parts I created a system in supercollider where I can specify drum patterns using these "bol"s and I started from a "Bhajan" rhythm as found on my Casio WK-7600 keyboard, then mapped it on instruments in  the Integra-7 Indian drum kit. Very interesting as a technical excercise, but the end result is not 100% to my liking. Oh well... BTW, congratulations if you've been able to read until here :) A free 4045 characters long explanation for you :)