Transcript Indian

Classical, Folk, Popular
Hindustani and Carnatic

Based on the raga, which is a melodic scale.
It can be major or minor.
 A raga must contain a minimum of 5 notes.
 melodic framework for improvisation and
composition.

Improvisation – within the notes of the raga.
 Influenced by Arab and Persian music (but not
Muslim culture).
 Instrumental role important.
 Tala –


a metric cycle with a specific number of beats—from
3 to 128—that recur in the same pattern throughout a
musical performance.
 Based
on a system of ragas and talas.
 Lyrics are spiritual


Devotional content
Philosophical
 Emphasis

on vocal music.
When played on instruments, must be in a
“vocal” style.
 Completely
sections.
melodic, with improvised
Hindustani
Carnatic
Varying number of
strings, but usually 17
total.
 3-4 playing strings
 3-4 drone strings
 Rest are sympathetic



Sympathetic strings are
not played, but vibrate
when certain notes are
played on other strings.
The strings are
plucked with a wire
finger plectrum
called mizrab.
A
pair of drums.
 Right – made of
wood.
 Left – made of
metal, usually
brass.
Imported from Europe
during 19th century.
 Hand pumped
bellows.


Other harmoniums can
be foot pumped,
allowing both hands to
play and provide
harmony. Indian music
has no chords and
musicians sit on the
floor, therefore only the
hand pumped
harmoniums are used
today.
7
strings, 4 playing
and 3 drone.

No sympathetic
strings.
 No
plectrum,
finger picking.
 Used as a main
melodic
instrument, not to
accompany voice.
 Clay
pot
instrument.
 Two sounds
High – struck on side
 Low – struck on top
(mouth)

 Introduced
by
Western culture.
 Played holding
between the
shoulder and foot.
 It is played in unison
where the passage
is composed but
imitates the voice
or main melody
instrument in the
improvised
passages.
 Drone
accompaniment
 4 strings

Precision tuning is
achieved by inserting
bits of wool or silk
between the strings
and lower bridge and
by adjusting small
beads attached to the
strings.
 Fretless

In Carnatic music, the musicians
and audience can use a hand
clapping system to count the
beats. There are many different
versions depending on how many
beats you are counting.
A vocal way to count
rhythm.
 Padhant is a system of
spoken “words”
created for each
sound or bol that the
tabla makes. These
different “words” are
then used to form
patterns that when
heard a player can
then play on the
drums.

Art India.net http://www.artindia.net/hindustani.html
 Hindu Online http://hinduonline.co/HinduCulture/IndianMusic
.html
 Fantastic Website! Tons of info - http://raaghindustani.com/
 Carnatic Instruments http://www.angelfire.com/musicals/kallidaihari
/instruments_in_carnatic.htm
 Hindustani Instruments http://chandrakantha.com/articles/indian_musi
c/hindustani_sangeet.html
