From a seminar of Bhagavata Purana prabhu on karatalas:
Six important things are to understand about karatalas.
1. Direction
2. Pitch
3. Volume
4. Speed
5. Open and closed beats
6. Upbeat and downbeat
In the Prabhupada beat the final beat is half open and half closed.
The thumb is supposed to be fixed on the strap so you do not lose control of your instrument. Use your fingers not the thumb to dampen the sound.
The singer and the mrdanga player work as a team, and everyone else follows the mrdanga player.
The mrdanga is half as loud as the voice, and the other instruments should be half as loud as the mrdanga.
Srila Prabhupada would complain about karatalas clanging [playing all open beats].
Never put a microphone to record a kirtana next to the karatalas. The best place is near the large end of the drum because it is important to hear the bass.
Srila Prabhupada said that karatala and mrdanga is sufficient. The harmonium is not a Vedic instrument, but Srila Prabhupada said there is a small harmonium in the spiritual world. Lord Caitanya said if you do not have karatalas and mrdangas you can just clap your hands.
The whompers should be played open and sweetly. They are not a crash instrument.
Aindra Prabhu once sang for nine hours straight, from after Bhagavatam class to six in the evening. People did not even leave to use the bathroom.
Aindra Prabhu had a dream of Prabhupada in which Srila Prabhupada said, “Why is no one cleaning my toilets?” Thus Aindra Prabhu took up the service of cleaning the toilets.
Aindra Prabhu’s room was 50% mud and 50% cow dung.
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