Classical Music Of North India

Question 1

Different traditions of music

Answer 1

Classical (2000yrs)
Folk
Religious
Popular

Question 2

Music is associated with

Answer 2

Hindu religions and often have special spiritual significance

Question 3

Based on

Answer 3

A combination of raga(melodic form) tala(rhythmic form) and drone (sustained note)

Question 4

Performed

Answer 4

By three people

Solo singer / solo instrumentalist
Drummer
Drone player

Question 5

Instruments

Answer 5

Soft sounding and usually played I small areas

Question 6

Melodic improvisation

Answer 6

Based on scales called ragas

Question 7

Rhythmic improvisation

Answer 7

Based on cycles of beats called talas

Question 8

what is raga

Answer 8

Series of notes (usually between 5-8 notes)

Which are combined to create a particular mood

Question 9

Pattern

Answer 9

Particular ascending and descending pattern

Are associated with different times of the day season mood or special occasion

Question 10

Notes of a raga scale

Answer 10

SA 
RI
GA
MA
PA
DHA 
NI

All the notes aren’t always used

Question 11

Performances take place

Answer 11

Temples
Festivals
(Sometimes last all day and all night)

Question 12

Raga performances are

Answer 12

Improvised but based on traditional tunes and rhythms

Question 13

To learn raga

Answer 13

Students join a school of players called GHARANA

Each GHARANA has its own teacher or master
Each GHARANA has its own traditions and own methods on how to play

Question 14

Raga is not notated

Answer 14

Students learn by listening to their teacher and then imitating what is played and memorizing it

Question 15

What is tala

Answer 15

Is a repeating Rhythmic pattern usually played by the tabla (small drums)

Question 16

The tabla player plays

Answer 16

A rhythm called a tala with a set of number beats (matras)

Question 17

First beat of tala

Answer 17

Sam

Question 18

Each tala is split into groups called vibhags

Answer 18

A vibhag is like a bar in western music and can have different numbers of beats in each vibhag

Question 19

What is a drone

Answer 19

Is a continual or repeated note held throughout a passage of music

It is the sound usually heard first, starting on the tonic note SA

Traditionally played on a tambura

Question 20

Summary

Answer 20

Music based around improvisation

Sitar plays the melody

Tala is a cycle of rhythmic beats

Raga: music is based on a group of notes (scale)

Tabla plays rhythmic improvisations

Question 21

Traditional instruments used

Answer 21

Sitar
Tambura
Tabla

Question 22

Sitar

Answer 22

Large log necked string instrument

Has between four to seven metal strings of which 4= melody
And other 2/3 = drone bass

Sitar plays melody

Question 23

Tambura

Answer 23

4 metal strings

Used as more of a backing instrument
Part is often described as a drone which plays a simple repeated rhythmic pattern based on just two notes from the raga

Question 24

Tabla

Answer 24

Pair of drums

Smaller right side drum is called a tabla

Larger lower sounding drum is called bays

Main rhythm is played on the tabla