Santoor Training in Saba’s Style, Written by Payvar

There are only a handful of musicians whose names stand out simultaneously in performance, composition, authorship, and the nurturing of a new generation. As a musician and player, the name of Saba is synonymous with a legacy of methodology and perspective, carried forward by the students from his classes—each one grasping the true essence of tradition and authenticity, possessing a unique personal flair. The dynamism of tradition is a complex quality, achievable only through the precise transmission of a set of skills and correct perspectives, making it difficult or nearly impossible to reach without such guidance.

This brief article focuses on the Santoor as an instrument that today has attracted numerous students of various ages and boasts an established system of education.

Watching young children and teenagers in music classes is common these days. The idea of learning music from an early age is something both accepted and even admired in modern society. However, notes and interviews reveal that, not so long ago, music education was a rare and unusual pursuit. Learning music was remarkably confined to the children of musicians and singers who grew up in environments rich in art or in the tradition where passing down a father’s trade to his son made their education an essential priority.

One of the critical reasons for expanding santoor instruction to younger students could be the publication of organized, classified educational books for the instrument—an array of resources that cover a broad range of skill levels, from beginner to advanced.

The book Santoor Method by Faramarz Payvar, recognized as the best-selling santoor instruction book, represents a well-established method for students and teachers. It reflects Faramarz Payvar’s method, which is rooted in the teaching principles of Abolhasan Saba, enhanced by his rich knowledge and artistic insights.

How Was Saba’s Teaching Method?

According to Faramarz Payvar, Abolhasan Saba was the author of the first formalized book of santoor education. He translated what he learned from Mirza Abdollah and Ali Akbar Khan Shahi into written form. His extensive musical knowledge, learned from classes with various masters, and his mastery of multiple instruments all contributed to his unique style.

Saba began his educational works with the Radif (classical Persian music repertoire) and accompanied them with corresponding rhythmic pieces (zarbi). However, descriptions from his students about his approach to teaching beginners reveal that Saba realized the need for a more foundational stage to create a structured system. So, this preliminary stage involved simplifying complex musical concepts through creativity, combined with his wide-ranging musical knowledge.

Three Key Elements in Saba’s Teaching Method: A Quote from Faramarz Payvar

“When it comes to Saba, I must say his teaching method had three key elements:
First, he taught music using musical notation. As a result, he instructed his students scientifically.
Second, he taught the correct santoor technique, which he had partly learned from his teacher, Ali Akbar Shahi, and through collaboration with Master Habib Samaei—it was a precise technique.
Third, he taught the Radif (classical Persian music repertoire).
In class, he would write the notation for his students, all from memory and in a very concise and brief form. So, this is why his students could learn so well.”
– Excerpt from the interview of Ahmadreza Ahmadi with Faramarz Payvar, December 10, 1995

Mezraab, Rhythm, Notation: A Quote from Manoochehr Sadeghi

“The first stage was mastering the mezraab (santur hammers). We would strike the hammer on tables or boxes. I spent two or maybe two and a half months practicing rhythms with the hammer on a table or instrument case while simultaneously learning the notations. Master Saba would write down all of these for us. Once I had learned the notations, we started playing on the santur. He would write simple rhythms and basic exercises, like a simple four-stroke pattern. We didn’t start with a book from the beginning; he had to be sure that our hands were positioned with the instrument correctly and that we understood the notes well.
He would write the entire lesson by hand in our notation books. For instance, he would write a simple Chahaarmezraab pattern for us to practice for a week. Once I mastered that, he would write a few short lines. He didn’t give us the entire piece from the beginning, so we progressed step by step. Finally, he watched us perform all the exercises carefully according to the principles from the start; he paid close attention to how we practiced and performed.”

A Product of the Payvar Foundation: The music notebooks were crafted based on the hand-made notation books of Abolhasan Saba.

Discovering a Method for Teaching Persian Music

The compilation and creation of what is now known as the Radif of Saba stems from Saba’s educational vision and efforts to discover a method for the accurate notation of Persian music. This Radif preserves the tradition of his teachers and reveals Saba’s creative spirit and systematic mind, which facilitated the development of a simple and profound method. This structure enriched the Radif with the potential to expand, adapt, and accommodate other related musical traditions—something often overlooked or denied today.

Saba’s meticulous approach to organizing his Radif for teaching had an additional, perhaps unintended, consequence: he imparted to his students, especially Faramarz Payvar, a significant legacy— the right way to “organize a method.” His works were categorized, designed for a specific audience, and rooted in the data and insights of a historical musical— a dynamic tradition.

A Quote from Faramarz Payvar

“Our practical music education is indebted to Master Saba. Without him, we would have had nothing at our disposal. Everyone else was teaching haphazardly, in an impromptu and passionate manner. You had to be in his class to see how he would write everything down for violin, tar, setar, and santur, which then became the foundation of our work.
I mention these three instruments because others were teaching orally, passing knowledge from one person to another, without following a structured system or teaching the Radif. They would only teach what they knew, and they didn’t even understand the proper techniques for playing their instruments.”

The reflections of Saba’s direct students show that Saba was meticulous in instilling the importance of the right and left mezraab technique and the sound quality before the student even engaged with the instrument. In this method, the student would first focus on the physical feel and mechanics of the mezraab without worrying about selecting the correct melodies. Then, rhythm, as the second layer of complexity, would be introduced into the exercises. By this gradual approach to simplifying musical complexities, the teacher could refine the details and allow the student to enjoy the learning process and develop excitement about mastering the instrument. They could explore the world of sounds and construct musical phrases with tools they had already learned.

The Reason for Writing Santoor Method: A Quote from Faramarz Payvar

“The first book I wrote was the Santur Method, where I mentioned that, during teaching, I felt that students could not begin with Saba’s Radif—even though we started with it. We would begin with his simple four-stroke pieces, which took two years to learn, and at times would also teach us some simple versions of Pishdaraamad and Reng and would write down their notation.”

This part of Payvar’s remarks reflects an aspect of Saba’s practical teaching that Saba himself never had the chance to compile formally. He understood the need to identify the weaknesses and strengths of beginner students and create simple pieces to ensure the continuity of their education.

Continuing Saba’s Path: Thanks to Payvar’s Dedication

This solid foundation of instruction was something that young Payvar understood deeply. With dedication and precision, he built up his method of santur instruction.

A Quote from Faramarz Payvar

“I truly felt that the student needed to gain strength first, simply because when they reach the Avaz and Radif of music, before getting overwhelmed with learning mezraab techniques, they should truly feel what they are playing and understand it. Hence, I thought of writing another book so that the student’s hands would become comfortable and students could easily play those pieces.”

Based on years of practical classroom experience and the author’s vast knowledge of Persian music, the preliminary book has become an inseparable part of santoor education in Iran. It documents and organizes aspects of Saba’s practical lessons that Saba himself never had the opportunity to write down.