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Indian Classical Music - Basic Introduction

Indian classical music is one of the oldest and most intricate forms of music in the world. It is a traditional art form that has been passed down through generations for centuries. Indian classical music has its roots in the Vedas, ancient scriptures of Hinduism, and is known for its unique and complex rhythms, intricate melodies, and improvisation.

Indian classical music is broadly divided into two genres – Hindustani and Carnatic. Hindustani music originated in North India, while Carnatic music originated in South India. Both styles have their own unique characteristics and are popular among music lovers all over the world.

Here are some basic concepts and elements of Indian classical music that beginners should know:

Raag: Raag or Raga is the fundamental unit of Indian classical music. It is a set of notes arranged in a specific sequence that creates a specific mood or emotion. Each raga has its own unique character, and the musician improvises and explores the raga during a performance.

Taal: Taal is the rhythmic cycle or beat pattern of Indian classical music. It is a framework that guides the musician and helps them maintain a steady rhythm. There are many different talas, each with its own set of beats and variations.

Alap: Alap is the opening section of a performance where the musician introduces the raga. It is a slow and melodic improvisation that gradually builds up in intensity and complexity.

Jor and Jhala: Jor and Jhala are sections of a performance that come after the Alap. Jor is a rhythmic section that uses faster tempos and complex rhythms, while Jhala is a fast-paced section that uses rapid strumming or picking techniques on a stringed instrument.

Gat: Gat is a composition that follows the Alap, Jor, and Jhala. It is a pre-composed melody that is played in a specific rhythm and tempo.

Improvisation: Improvisation is a key element of Indian classical music. Musicians are encouraged to improvise and explore the raga during a performance, creating their own variations and expressions.

Instruments: Indian classical music is traditionally played on instruments such as sitar, sarod, tabla, and flute. Each instrument has its own unique sound and role in the music.

Indian classical music is a complex and beautiful art form that takes years of practice and dedication to master. As a beginner, it is important to listen to different artists and styles, attend concerts, and find a good teacher to guide you on your journey. With time and practice, you can develop a deeper appreciation and understanding of this timeless music.

Alankars

For beginners, it is a common dilemma as to what to play and how to play Alankars (ornamentations)? So, whether we have to play only a set group of notes?  Or, we can create / make our own Alankars for practice?  For this, the answer is:

It is all about logical sequencing of notes. Which means, you can create numerous sets of Alankar yourself, if you understand the basic concept.

For example, an Alankar could be:

SR | RG | GM | MP | PD | DN | NS’

12 | 23  | 34   | 45  |  56 |  67 | 71′

In this grouping of two notes each, please see the logic that is to place the last note as first in the next group.

Let’s take another example:

SRMP | RGPD | GMDN | MPNS’

1245  | 2356   | 3467     | 4571′

Here if you see, the logic is to skip 3rd note in a group, like Ga is not there in group 1. And then start the second group with next note of first note of group 1. So, the group 2 starts with Re and M (the third in sequence) is skipped in second group, and so on.

Therefore, now if you can solve this, you will be able to create your own Alankars :

 

S’NPM | ND?G | DPGR | P ? ? S

Let’s see who cracks this! Comment your answers.

Thaat

Bilawal

S R G M P D N

Kalyan

S R G M# P D N

Khamaj

S R G M P D n

Bhairav

S r G M P d N

Marwa

S r G M# P D N

Kafi

S R g M P D n

Poorvi

S r G M# P d N

Asavari

S R g M P d n

Bhairavi

S r g M P d n

Todi

S r g  M# P d N

In a layman’s language to define, a Thaat is like a category under which there could be number of Raags. 
A Thaat is a sequential set of seven out of 12 notes. 
A Thaat will always have only seven different notes – either in their shuddh (natural) form or in their vikrit (moulded) form.
In Indian classical music, there are 32 Thaats, but following 10 Thaats are more prevalent.
Vikrit Swars are shown below in Red colour.
Notes written in Capitals are ‘Shuddh Swars’ and those written in Smalls are ‘Komal Swars’. # sign is for Tivr Madhyam.

Trick to easily remember the 10 Thaats.

Memorize this sentence – “Bhigi Kal Khoob Barish Me Kya Pata Aye Bukhar Tujhe”

Each of the first letter of the above words, represents the first letter of the following Thaats.  E.g., Bhigi=Bilawal; Kal=Kalyan; Khoob=Khamaj; Barish=Bhairav; Me=Marwa; Kya=Kafi; Pata=Poorvi; Aye=Asavari; Bukhar=Bhairavi and, Tujhe=Todi.

Now memorize a phone number – 0112223344

These numbers represents the number of vikrit swars that these 10 Thaats contain. E.g., 0=Bilawal as it has got no vikrit swar. 1,1 are the next two Thaats – Kalyan and Khamaj that contain one vikrit swar each.  Then 2,2,2 are the next three Thaats – Bhairav, Marwa and Kafi, that contain two vikrit swars each. Then 3,3, are the next two Thaats – Poorvi and Asavari, that contain three vikrit swars each. And lastly, 4,4, are the final two Thaats – Bhairavi and Todi, that contain four vikrit swars each.


Now with the above vikrit swars (indicated in Red) play this:

M# | n |
rd | rM# | gn
rM#d | gdn
rgdn | rgM#d

 

Watch this video on how to memorize these 10 Thaats easily, which is getting very popular. 

Some Popular Raag

Learn the basic concept of Raag in Hindustani Classical Music.  The following introductions have been devised keeping in mind the level of understanding of beginners so that they do not get confused with the technical difficulties in learning Raag.  The information given below is very basic and must be referred to as just guidelines.  For thorough understanding of Raag, one must seek advice from a learned teacher.

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