Brhaddhvani recognizes tradition as an important part of any cultural development. The organization has adopted a program of action to preserve aspects of Indian tradition and culture in complementary ways. Whether it is music technique or vina crafting, the institution has adopted a practice-based system of research with the aim of encouraging a sense of enquiry. The exposure to a variety of creative possibilities through comparative research makes musicians open to different ideas.
Brhaddhvani has documented Sopanam, (with the support of the IFA) temple music of Kerala. Samples of the music are notated both in the svarasthana and graphic notation. The music might go through changes due to adaptations in Kathakali and other dance forms. This way of preserving music would be a useful reference for the future generations.
The superior classical musical style of Padmashri Lalgudi G. Jayaraman is also documented through our descriptive notation widening the scope to preserve and perpetuate the intricate musical details.
Vina and Voice
The revival and documentation of the vina tradition was evolved over a five-part structure combining solo vina performances, performances with vina as an accompanying instrument, a seminar on vina-making to honor the hands that made them, research and publication as well as support for the vina-maker’s family.
Although vina is a national symbol, it has now dwindled to insignificance. The majestic grandeur and the classical richness of the sound of the vina associating itself to human body and the voice, needs to be revived. In an attempt to do this Brhaddhvani has presented vina in several dimensions. Vina as a solo instrument; Vina as the accompaniment to voice, like a violin; Vina duplicating the voice and the voice duplicating the vina. This has thrown much light in exploiting the potential of vina for various musical situations. The challenges in accompaniment to voice improve the technique of vina. The challenges for the voice in singing with vina and accompanying it make the voice experience something new and vital in exploring the technique of singing precisely in different pitch positions.
 
In the COMET method of teaching, the vina becomes the visual guide for the singer. Performing on the vina gives the right yogic posture to raise the energy levels to creative heights. It enables an exploration of the subtleties of nada (sound), the tonal purity and stability in movement from the navel to the head.

Vina is tuned to the pitch of the voice, male or female. While training the voice, working with the vina helps fine tuning the voice to perfection.

Listening to the vina sound becomes a way of discovering the meaning of silence within - the ultimate purpose of music. The ‘decay’ in the plucked sound is in fact an experience of silence in music. The three-octave span of the vina becomes a potential model for voice range.

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