World

Question 1

Indian music instruments

Answer 1

Tabla - Drums
Bansuri - Flute
Sitar - Stringed guitar
Sarangi - Violim

Question 2

Indian music general notes

Answer 2

• Indian music often has a drone in the bass, which means that it stays in the same key.
• Raga- This is the scale in which an Indian piece is based on. There are over 200 different Raga scales. Raga scales can be different on the way up than on the way down. The reason that there are so many Ragas is that different ones are used for different occasions, such as weddings, funerals, baptisms etc.

Question 3

Indian music structure

Answer 3

Alap- An Alap is improvised and has a free tempo. It’s just a solo instrument and a drone. It explores the emotional potential of the raga.

Gat- A gat introduces the Tabla, and picks up the pace. The pulse becomes regular. The Tabla is quite syncopated and the rhythm it played is called the Tala. This section of a piece isn’t improvised, but is taught through aural tradition, and can be learned.

Jhalla- In a Jhalla, if the Sitar is used then drone strings play rapidly. The tempo also increases slightly. It is very virtuosic (extremely technically difficult).

Question 4

Latin American instruments

Answer 4

Cavaquinho - 4 stringed guitar
Bandolim - 8 stringed guitar
Pandeiro - Tambourine

Question 5

Choro general notes

Answer 5

Choro is from Brazil, and developed in the 19th century. It’s a fusion from several different origins, such as Native American, African and European.

Question 6

Choro structures and features

Answer 6

Heavy syncopation.
Rondo (ABAC) / Ternary (ABA).
Usually has a 2/4 time signature.
There’s usually some improvisation implemented.
Choro and Samba are sometimes mixed up, whilst being similar they aren’t quite the same.

Question 7

Japanese instruments

Answer 7

Sho- Made from bamboo, mouth organ, produces a note on the blow in and out.

Koto- 25 stringed, plucked zither, can do a tremolo, right hand melody, left hand accompaniment

Shakuhachi- Tones are made by putting fingers by a hole, a lot of vibrato, ornaments decorate the melody, a flute.

Question 8

Middle Eastern instruments

Answer 8

Ud- It’s a 12-stringed guitar, has no frets, similar to the lute apart from frets

Question 9

Indonesian features + instrument

Answer 9

Instruments are tuned in pairs and are slightly out of tune.
The setting is called a Gamelan orchestra.
In 4/4 commonly.
No real harmony.
Polyphonic with a heterophonic rhythm.
Main instruments is a Gong, which sounds like a bell.

Question 10

Chinese instrument

Answer 10

Chin- Plucked instrument, sat on the ground