Download Indian Music - Ms Jones` GCSE Class

Indian Music
What is a Rag?
• Rag- singular
• Raga- Plural
• Rag is not a melody or scale, or key, but a
combination of all three.
• Each rag has
– an ascending and descending pattern of notes, which
are not necessarily the same as each other
– A set melody (gat)
– A set time of day for performance
– Rules regarding improvisation of the notes
– A tal
Instruments
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Sitar
Sarod
Sarangi
Tabla
Harmonium
Tanpura
Shehnai
Bansuri
Music System of Indian
• The music system is know as the sargam and is similar to
the western sol-fa system.
• Although the sargam is a form of notation, is it very simple
and would never be used in performance.
• The tonic note is know as SA and is used in the drone.
• SA can be any pitch.
• The seven degrees are
– SA RE GA MA PA DHA NI SA
• Sometimes abbreviated to
– SRGMPDNS
• MA can be sharpened (tivra) this would be shown as a line
above the note
• RI , GA, DHA and NI can be flattened (komal), this would be
shown as a line below the note.
• A dot above the note means an octave above.
• A dot below the note means an octave below.
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Alap
The Structure of the Rag
– The slow opening performance
– An instrument plays solo
– Notes and phrases of the Rag are introduced and explored.
– The music has no pulse.
– Lots of ornaments on the notes.
– Starts low and slow gradually gets higher and faster before pulse is introduced.
• Jor
– Another improvised section
– Regular pulse introduced
– Moderate Speed
• Jhalla
– The beginning of the “final section”
– Metre and tal introduced.
– Gat is performed
• Gat
– Memorised composition based on the notes of the Rag.
– This is then developed upon to become more exciting in rhythm until a climax is
reached, at which point the tabla and sitar may use question and answer
phrases before the final playing of the Gat to finish.
Tal
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Tal is the rhythmic framework for the Rag, it is a repeating pattern which is
established by the tabla.
Each pattern usually has between 6 and 16 beats.
The Sam is the most important beat and is often accented.
Teental is the most common tal and has 16 mantras broken up into 4 vibhags (4 + 4
+ 4 + 4).
Rupaka is another common tal, it has 7 mantras and 3 vibhags (3 + 2 + 2)
Weaker beats are often shown by a wave of a hand instead of a clap (often by the
audience) and is know by khali (empty).
Each tal uses a pattern of drum strokes (bols) know as theka.
Bols can be represented by sounds using the voice.
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Whole pattern = Tal
Beat = Mantra
Small patterns (like bars)= Vibhags
First beat = Sam (marked with a X in notation).
Empty Vibhag = Khali Vibhag
Pattern of drum strokes = Theka
Drum stroke = Bol
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Improvisation In Indian
• North Indian classical music is built on melodies
that are varied and decorated using
improvisation.
• Improvisation takes place according to strict rules
of each particular Rag being performed.
• Musicians learn Paltas (scalic melodic patterns) to
help improve a players technique, these are used
as the basis for tans (improvised breaks).
• Tihai is often used to punctuate or end sections
of improvisation. Tihali literally means 3rd and
patterns or phrases will be heard 3 times.