Music of India: Exploring Vocal Traditions and Historical Roots

Music of India

INDIA is the largest country in South Asia. Its music reflects different aspects of Asian culture through its timbre, rhythm, melody, texture, form, and style.

Vocal Music

Music made specifically for voices. It may be performed with or without instruments.

Instrumental Music

Instrumental music is made solely for voices.

Indian Vocal Music Traditions

• India's music
• classical tradition includes Carnatic and Hindustani music and several types of folk and popular music.
• Uses I melismatic singing with nasal vocal quality.

Samagana

• Singing based on a set of pitches during the Vedic times.

Sama Veda

• A sacred text, were sung as samagana and not chanted.

Rig Veda

• Also sung traditional in the Samagana singing style and counted as first among the four canonical sacred texts of Hinduism known as Vedas.
• Ancient Indian sacred collection of Vedic Sanskrit hymns.

Carnatic Music

• Refers to music of South India.
• Directed to Hindu God, which is why it is called "temple music".
• Music pieces are mainly set for the voice and with lyrics.
• Compositions are called krti are devotional songs.

Hindustani Music

• Predominantly found in the northern and central regions.
• Influenced by Hindu musical traditions, historical Vedic region/Vedic philosophy, native Indian sounds and enriched by the Persian performance of the Munghal era.

Hindustani Vocal Style

• Nasal singing is observed in their vocal music.
• In North India, the most common style of singing is called "khyal" a word which means "imagination".

Classification of Musical Instruments from India

THERE ARE FIVE KNOWN TRADITIONAL SYSTEMS FOR CLASSIFICATION OF INSTRUMENTS.

Ghan Instruments

1. GHAN - described as a non- membranous percussive instrument but with solid resonators.

GHATAM NOUT KARTA MANJIRA

Avanaddh Instruments

2. AVANADDH - described as a membranous percussive instrument. This class of instrument typically comprise the drums.

DHOL TABLA DAF (DUF, DAPHU)

Sushir Instruments

3. SUSHIR - also known as "blown air". It is characterized by the use of air to excite the various resonators.

SHANKH BANSURI SURPETI ® SHEHNAI

Tat Instruments

4. TAT - referred to as-vina during the old civilization. Instruments in this class are plucked. (Stringed instruments. )

SITAR GOTUVADYAM EKTAR GOPICHAND . RABAB

Vitat Instruments

5. VITAT - described as bowed stringed instruments.

BANAM ESRAJ SARANGI CHIKARA--

Tala

• Rhythm plays an important role in Indiaň Music.
• & TALA " Literally means "clap" variously translated as "tal", "taal", or 'taala".
• Common rhythm. Indian system of

Theka

"A sequence of drum system of rhythm.

Let's Do the Tala!

A. Tintal or Teental (16 Beats)

1 J J J J गधा Dhaa धिं Dhin धिं Dhin धा ! Dhaa 2धा Dhaa धिं Dhin धिं Dhin धा। Dhaa - - · J धा Dhaa तिं Tin तिं Tin ना Naa Naa धिं Dhin धिं Dhin धा। Dhaa

B. Chautal ( 12 Beats )

J J J J . दिं ता KiTa Dhaa Din Ta J *धा धा दिं ता। Dhaa Dhaa Din Taa 2 किट, धा 3 तिट, कत। TiTa KaTa " गदी, गेनू,। GaDee GeNa

Name It!

1. 3. 4. 2.

Name It!

5. 7. 6. 8.

Name It!

9. 10.

Sample Song of India

Anile Anile

Anile anile odi vaa Alaku anile odi vaa Koyyā maram ēri vā Kuņțu palam koņțu vā

Translation - Chipmunk

Chipmunk, Come On Chipmunk chipmunk come on Beautiful chipmunk come come come Climb high up a guava tree Bring a ripe fruit back to me

Anile Anile Lyrics

India b a-Ni-le a-Ni-le O- di vaa a-zha-gu a-Ni-le O- di vaa goy-ya ma-ram yE - ri vaa guN-du pa-zham koN-du vaa paa-thi pa-zham en - ni-dam paa-thi pa-zham un - ni-dam koo-di sErn-thu i-ru-va-rum ko-ri-thu ko-ri-thu thin - na-lam https://youtu.be/Tv1MDUQsAZg

Thank you!