Qualities of a Vocalist

The ancient texts of Bharat, Naarad, Sharangdev have written about the good and bad qualities. Bharat has written about gayak, gaayika, vansh vaadak and Narad has written about good and bad qualities of gaan. It is written in the shastras that everyone should possess the knowledge of Gun-Dosh as it will help improve one’s knowledge and performance.

1. Melodious Voice: A singer must have the knowledge to use his voice to bring out Gamak, kan and meed.

2. A singer must know the proper pronunciation of the composition and clarity of the words must be maintained.

3. A singer must have the knowledge of both swar and shruthi used in the raag. 

4. A singer should have the knowledge of laya of the composition and must also know the other important taal.

5. A singer should have the detailed knowledge of the raga he/she is singing. Margi, Raagang, bhaashang, Kriyaang, Upaang, Deshi raagas.

6. A Singer must know about Grah and Nyas swars and its rules. 

7. A singer should know various forms of Alaapit gaan

8. A voice which has the ability to reach to any swar as required.

9. Knowledge of the swar and shruthi

10. One should not get tired after singing all types of prabandhas

11. Understand the differences between shuddh, chayalag and sankeerna ragas

12. Understand all types of Kaku

13. Ability to know various number of compositions in ragas for singing

14. Readiness for performance – performance of margi -deshi without any errors

15. He/she should know to differentiate Samprakruthi (Similiar ragas), Alpatva-Bahutva (Sustainance of swar) and Tiro bhav-Adir bhav(Shift from one raga to another and return back to the same raga).

16. A singer must have the knowledge to improvise on taan and aalap and enough practise to render the same.

17. A singer must have the ability to combine Bhav, Swar and Laya.

18. A singer must possess the improvisation power such that the taan and aalap he/she sings should not be repetitive.

19. While singing the audience should not feel that he/she is under strain.

20. A singer must be able to entertain the audience with full involvement and technical singing is not sufficient, he/she must know the knowledge of swar, Taal and bhav. 

21. While performing stage shows the singer must understand the nature and mood of the audience.

22. According to the quality of the singer’s voice, he/she must determine the style of singing.

23. A singer should have the ability to select the following: the timing of the composition, avsar( For what occasion), according to audience, choose the lyrics that is best, time period of the concert and style of singing.

1. He/she has practised and is not confident to sing

2. Should not take the risk of singing something Hoarse voice, sharp voice, voice without any feel will have no impression on the audience. Those who posses such kind of voice even if he knows the art to sing, he’ll not have a good impression on the audience.

3. Besura (singing out of pitch).

4. Pronouncing swar and words of the composition wrongly.

5. While singing voice should not shake.

6. Should not bite your teeth while singing.

7. Sound should not come from nose.

8. Voice should not shake while singing aakaar. 

9. Singing fast for the fear of forgetfulness

10. A singer is not good if his/her aakar is not clear.

11. Making faces which are scary to the audience. 

12. Unnecessary modulation of swaras.

13. Ashud Roop(not following rules and regulations of raga) should not be sung.

14. A singer should not go out of taal(Betaal) and out of duration of beats(Belaya).

15. Performancce with less practice should not be done.

16. Repeating same swar should not be done.

17. While singing the following things should not be done: artificial facial expression, resting the hand(s) on the ground, keeping the hand on the ear and closing the eyes.

18. Singing without any sequence and order.

19. Sining without confidence.

20. No fear of singing and should not sing for the sake of singing and finishing the song.

21. A singer should sing on the stage only those which new.

22. Should not sing without interest in the song

23. Should not sing without any feel. 

24. Should not raise shoulders and sing

25. Should not show any signs of puffing up of facial and neck veins while singing

26. Singing by unnecessary twisting of the throat

27. Unnecessary vistaar of geet or pada

28. Singing with partially open or partially closed eyes

29. Singing swars which are not part of the raga

30. Singing without clarity

31. Inability to sing in all three octaves.

32. Mixing of shuddh, chayalag and sankeerna ragas