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Indian Music

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

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Indian Music

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  1. Indian Music

  2. 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

  3. Instruments • Sitar • Sarod • Sarangi • Tabla • Harmonium • Tanpura • Shehnai • Bansuri

  4. 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 • S R G M P D N S • 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.

  5. The Structure of the Rag • Alap • 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.

  6. Tal • 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. • 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

  7. 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.

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