Music of India

Carnatic music is the classical music of Southern India. The basic form is a monophonic song with improvised variations. Singing, and the voice as an instrument, is very important. Indian music is based on relative positioning and thus, notes are not a fixed pitch. For example, the note called Sa would be used as the basis for the song, in the same way that Western music has a song in the key of C Major with C as the basis. However, Sa is not always the same note; Sa is set to a pitch that is the foundation of the song. Carnatic music uses a 22 note scale, whereas the Western system uses a 12 note scale. Western music is based on a scale that is logarhythmically divided; this is known as the equally tempered scale. Western music previously used the rational division system, which is known as the natural scale. Indian music uses rational division. Benefitis of rational division are that tuning is usually done by ear and the swara (notes) are not fixed positions.

Carnatic music is based on a system of 72 melakarta ragas, called janaka ragas, and thai, or mother ragas, which function as creator ragas. The seven basic swaras occupy various swara sthanas and produce a total of sixteen swaras that form the basis of the raga scheme. Instrumental melody rather than harmony is stressed and performances are usually in a chamber music setting. Each song is organized into three categories, the alpana, the krithi, and the niraval. Important instruments are the veena, a large, resonant, fretted plucked string instrument, and the bamboo flute, which is the most important solo instrument.

Terms

Swaras = notes; an example is Sa. There are seven swaras which are mythologically associated to the sounds of certain animals. The names of the Swaras are based on these animals

Raga = melody type, or key as in music in the key of C Major. Each raga has its own swaroopam, a musical form or image, which defines the raga. a pre-defined form of melody

arohanam = ascending notes

varohanam = descending notes

gamaka = deviations from the nominal sthana; frequency modulations about a particular note.

brigha = speed that a set of notes is performed at

thalam = rhythm