The training sets the stage for creativity and improvisation. The question is, where does one start to lay the foundations for creative improvisation with the voice so that the soul can freely express itself to the divine?
In this training, you begin by learning how to calibrate your vocal pitch because the precision of this calibration plays a critical role in the alignment we feel in our musical experience.

Based on this calibration, you learn exercises to develop Ragas, which are derived from the intervals within the octave. You can refer to dozens of guitar and voice tutorials to pick up nuances of various musical modes.
Finally, you learn about timing and rhythm, which is critical for those who enjoy kirtan singing or lead singing groups.

However, even without timing and rhythm, the experience of bhakti can be developed from soaring expressions of devotional singing composed by the musician saints of India over the past centuries. Their expectations were shared by both the Bhakti and Nada streams of Sound Yoga.

Even with these expressions that we term "Singing For God," the degree to which we can tap into the depth and subtlety of the experience requires some amount of pitch calibration, which is at the core of this training process.

In the approach laid out for you conveniently online, we focus on not only the aesthetic process with its knowledge of musical intervals and pitch calibration but also the therapeutic aspects that come from working the voice and breath in various ways. Often, training musicians lose sight of the therapeutic aspects of music that come from simplicity rather than complexity.

In the long run, ragas can help us work with emotions and states of consciousness, but their effect is related to our calibration of pitch. You don't know what you don't know until your blinders are removed and you can see, which is hear, what's really going on. Eventually, you want to discover that Ragas are more than just a set of notes. In the words of the great sitarist Ravi Shankar, a raga is a coloring of the spirit. In other words, as a result, we can know a "fine shade of emotion" through musical modes.

Last but not least is the spiritual dimension. Those who are willing to apply themselves can learn some exquisite devotional songs from the ancient tradition of Carnatic music that you can sing as a solo singer, starting with your private spiritual practice when you are Alone With The Alone. We teach this profound form of mysticism as "Singing For God." These beautiful songs can also be performed for groups at public events to raise consciousness.

Regardless of your current level of confidence in your sense of pitch, there is always room for growth. Nada Yoga offers a unique opportunity to test and challenge your understanding of pitch and introduce you to a world of subtle vibrations and shifts in consciousness that will surpass your expectations. Sound is not just about reality; it is the essence of reality while also embracing the vast potential of creativity and the scope of the imagination.

In that case, what about those without formal vocal or musical training? What about all those lovers of Kirtan and Bhakti who want to sing their hearts out? All kirtan and bhakti are designed along Nada's underlying spiritual engineering principles. When you enjoy an excellent kirtan that inspires bhakti, it is mainly due to the quality of instrument tuning and the singers' correct pitching. And, of course, everyone tries to keep the rhythm. If any of these aspects were to be compromised, you would feel it on some level. You might excuse any discrepancies because the experience is primarily about the bhakti. However, once you discover a certain level of alignment with pitch and rhythm, there is a significant enhancement to the expertise of both Bhakti and Nada, which are the devotional and conscious aspects of musical expression. The spiritual experience involved in your process starts to magnify exponentially.

People pay a lot of attention to the external aspects of bhakti. For instance, people sway their bodies, wave their arms, and close their eyes in ecstatic peace or blissful expressions. However, internal references for bhakti are based on the principles of Nada Yoga. These principles create calibrations and alignments in consciousness on both gross and subtle levels.

When there are tuning, timing, or pitch issues, a good part of consciousness can pull towards the physical dimension and ordinary consciousness. Such problems may be overlooked in favor of the external aspects of bhakti. When the internal references are well calibrated, there are states of consciousness accessed through sound that cannot be easily described. These are the states of Nada.

If the voice has a lot of devotion, it will carry everyone higher. But even great devotion can be hampered by issues with pitch and timing. Other aspects, such as dynamics in the voice, including loudness, softness, raspiness, running out of breath, uncomfortable high notes, or out-of-pitch low tones, can also take away from the experience of bhakti, and these can be overlooked in favor of spiritual values. What if you were to discover these technical aspects in addition to your spiritual values? 

I want to pass on this subtle knowledge of Nada, which can offer you attunements to bhakti that might have passed you by. As with any training, there can be no guarantees. All I can rely on are the decades of knowledge, experience, and training behind my abilities.

To fully take advantage of everything I have to offer you, I recommend working with me privately in addition to the group training and the online tutorials I have developed in our Yoga of Sound Immersion that compliment this Nada Yoga Voice Training process.