Indian classical music has been the most important part of the culture in the Indian subcontinent since time immemorial. With origins dating back to the pre-Vedic era thousands of years ago, Indian classical music is still the most sought out thing among true music lovers. Thousands of people learn this beautiful, and existentially, the most impactful form of music. However, it requires several musical instruments to be played while doing Riyaz (practice). Some of them are quite expensive and difficult to play, and for beginners who are practicing Indian classical music, it is very challenging to have instruments like Tabla and Tanpura played in the background simultaneously.
That’s where the “iShala” Indian classical music app comes very handy. This is an all-in-one mobile application for Indian classical music practitioners and learners that effectively replaces Tabla, Lehra, and electronic Tanpura with virtual sounds. Here we have brought you all the information about the iShala app and how you can use it for your Indian classical music practice.
Official website link is here.
About iShala – Indian Music App for Riyaz/Practice
As said before, iShala is an Indian music mobile application that effectively replaces typical and most essential instruments used in Indian classical music, a tabla machine, a Lehra player, and an electronic Tanpura. The application is an ideal tool for anyone practicing Indian classical music who wants to focus more on their Riyaz (practice) with the instruments being played in the background with no additional effort. Or maybe you’re just wishing to jam along with virtual Indian musicians, iShala can be an ideal tool for you to sing along with them in any other musical style.
Notable Features of iShala Indian Music App
If you are learning Indian classical music and want to continue your Riyaz at home during this COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, when you cannot gather with other people, there cannot be a better option than iShala for you to continue your practice. The smartphone application, which is available on both Android and iOS devices, features instruments including Tabla, Harmonium, Swarmandal, and Tanpura. You can select to play any one or even all of them at your wish. The best thing about it is that your Tabla, Harmonium, and all other instruments that are simultaneously being played will always be in sync.
Another feature that iShala offers is the ability to play Swarmandal manually, which means you can also play Swarmandal by plucking its strings (of course virtual) at your wish. With more than 50 rhythmic cycles and melodies in more than 110 Ragas, iShala offers seven different tempos that you can choose from to play the melody. Not just this, the app also allows you to create your own ragas and fine-tune each of their notes at Shruti (microtones) level. The app is also Audiobus-compatible, which means you can route the live audio output to other Audiobus-compatible apps, such as GarageBand.
Another important feature that the iShala music app has for users who have their hands occupied with some other instrument is the motion controls for Swarmandal. The app is designed to detect motion and can play Swarmandal on any slight movement, for example moving your leg on which the device is placed on. This allow you to play it at specific moments, even when your hands are busy with your instrument. Of course, you can also play Swarmandal automatically at predefined intervals.
iShala Music App Pricing
iShala is available for purchase and download on Google Play Store and Apple App Store for a one-time price of ₹1,000 or $12.99. If you are learning or practicing Indian classical music and want to have the handy iShala music app on your mobile device, you can head to any of the respective app stores for your device and install the iShala music app for riyaz/practice.
iShala: The Verdict
As far as the iShala music app for Riyaz/Practice is concerned, the Android mobile application is one of the most essential tools for Indian classical music practitioners. The app replaces multiple musical instruments and lets users play any one or all of them at once in complete sync. This gives the learner/practitioner the flexibility to play multiple instruments and do riyaz with minimal effort. If you want to learn more about iShala, you can visit the official website for the app.
