Lectures – 1 to 6 : Basic Concepts of Indian

Classical Music (Hindustani)

Definition & Explanation of Music; Naad, Shruti, Swaras, Saptak, That & Raag

Music or Sangeet :

What is Music?
According to the Indian Classical School of thought, the word ‘Music’ or
‘Sangeet’ refers to a combination of three different art forms namely
 – Singing or expressing sounds vocally
 – Playing an Instrument or expressing music through musical instruments
 – Dancing or expressing music through various dance forms

A combination of singing, playing instruments and dancing is called Music.

All three of these art forms are interdependent on each other. However, it is
agreed that singing is the most superior of these arts as it can be done
independently of the other two.

Naad:
Dhwani or Sound are vibrations that travel throught the air or any medium
and can be heard when they reach a person’ ear.
Any sound can be divided into two parts
i) Naad : Sound appropriate to music
Naad is the dhwani or sound produced by regular continuous vibrations.
ii) Non-appropriate to music (Noise)

The term 'Nada' is a Sanskrit word which means musical sound.

'Nada' is a combination of 'Nakar' means life or breath and 'Dakar' means

fire or energy. When there is a combination of breath and energy 'Nada' or
musical sound is produced. In other words, when breath is energised it
gives rise to musical sound or 'Nada'. Thus, sound is produced by motion
of some kind in the air or any energetic action in the air causes ‘Nada’ or
sound.
Example : If you just pluck the string of a 'Sitar' or a 'Tanpura' ( Musical
Instruments) with your finger, it will emit sound. On close observation the
string will appear to vibrate. If you again touch the vibrating string with your
finger, the vibration will stop and along with it the sound will also cease.
Thus, it is clear that vibration is the cause of sound.
Types of Naad :
Musical sounds or Naad have also been divided into two groups :
1. Anahata Nada : When the source or origin of any sound is beyond
the material physical world, it is called Anahata Naad.
2. Ahata Nada : The sound caused by material objects is Ahata Naad.

Shruti:
The term 'Shruti' is a Sanskrit word. It is derived from the root 'Shru' which
means 'to hear', and 'Shruti' means that which can be heard

That sounds capable of being used in music and which can be distinctly
identified by the ear and distinguished from one another is called 'Shruti'.

In order to understand the correct definition of 'Shruti' the following

properties should be remembered :-
Shruti is the sound,
i) which is capable of being used in music,
ii) which can be distinctly identified by the ear, and
iii) the musical sounds which can be distinguished from one another
are called 'Shrutis'.
In short, every distinct and audible musical sound is called 'Shruti'.

Swara:
Swara is a sanskrit word that connotes a note or pitch in the successive
steps of the octave.
“That musical sound is continuous and uniform and which is sweet by itself
and which creates a charming sensation on the ear is called 'Swara'.”

In Hindustani system of music there are seven main 'Swaras' known as

Shadja, Rishabha, Gandhara, Madhyama, Panchama, Dhaivata and Nishada.
These are named in practise by their syllables as 'Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni'.

In European music these are known as "C D E F G A B" and in Italian music
these are called 'Do Re Mi Fa So La Si'.

Our music consists of seven 'Shuddha Swaras' and five shifted notes known
as 'Vikrit-Swaras'. In other words, our complete music scale consists of
seven standard notes and five shifted notes. Thus we have twelve notes in
all in the complete music scale of the present day.
Shuddha (Pure) Swaras :
7 Basic notes are known as Swaras.
The name of these swaras are Sa, Re, Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, Ni
Sa (Shadaj)
Re (Rishabh)
Ga (Ghandar)
Ma (Madhyam)
Pa (Pancham)
Dha (Dhaivat)
Ni (Nishad)

Vikrut Swara (Komal, Tivra) :

There are 2Ra, 2Ga, 2Ma, 2Dha, and 2Ni in Saptak.
Ma with a lower frequency is Shuddha Ma and with higher frequency is
Tivra Ma.

R, G, D, N with a lower frequency and called Komal.

Varjit Swara : Unused Note in any Raaga.

Sapta k: Octave
The entire group of seven notes, 'Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni', taken from one end
to the other end is called 'Saptak'.
Saptak is a combination of seven swaras. (12 with Komal & Tivra).

There are 3 main Saptaks – Mandra, Madhya & Taar – ie Lower, Middle &
Higher Octaves.
It may be noted here that normally the range of human voice is about three
Octaves.
i) the 'Saptak' which produces the normal voice is called 'Madhya-
Saptak'.
ii) The voice produced by 'Mandra-Saptak' is doubly lower than the
voice of 'Madhya Saptak' and
iii) the voice of 'Tara-Saptak' is doubly higher than the voice of
'Madhya- Saptak'.

This may be represented in the following chart :

A l an kar:
Alankar, also referred to as palta or alankaram, is a concept in Indian
classical music and literally means "ornament, decoration".

An alankara is any pattern of musical decoration a musician or vocalist creates

within or across tones, based on ancient musical theories or driven by personal
creative choices, in a progression of svaras.

ALANKAR’s for Presentation Sessions :

Continued…
continued …… ALANKAR’s for Presentation Sessions :
Thaa t
The combination of ascending seven swaras (notes) is called a Thaat.

A thaat is a musical mode in Hindustani music which always has seven notes
and is considered the basis for the system of organizing and classifying ragas
in North Indian classical music.
The concept of thaat, and its ten basic categories, were created by Pt. Vishnu
Narayan Bhatkhande in the early decades of the twentieth century.

The term Thaat applies only to the scales that fulfil the following rules :
1. A thaat must have seven notes.
2. The notes must be in sequence S R G M P D N (whether shuddh or vikrut -
both versions of a single note are not allowed
3. A thaat does not have separate ascending and descending lines (as do
ragas)
4. A thaat has no emotional quality (ragas, by definition, have)
5. Thaats are named after prominent ragas in order to make them easy to
remember

There are ten Thaats in North Indian music:

Bhairav, Bhairavi, Todi, Kalyan, Bilaval, Purvi, Kaafi, Asawari, Marwa,
Khamaj.

Raaga
“A Raaga is a beautiful combination of musical notes that is pleasing to the
ears when sung or played on a musical instrument”

Raga is a combination of notes with these 5 following features:

1. Notes (swaras)- There must be at least 5 notes or maximum of 7 notes (
(swaras) in a Raag.
2. Aaroh and Avroh - ascending and descending notes.
3. Vadi and Samvadi - should have a prominent and dominant note (Vadi)
and another note to complement the dominating note (Samvadi).
4. Melodious and Entertaining - must be pleasant sounding in order to
enchant the listener.
5. Key note - (Shadaj or Sa) cannot be missing.
Various important terminologies related to Raagas :

Pakad
A small group of notes which describe unique features of the raag.

Alap
Improvisation of a raga in a slow or medium tempo.

Taan
Faster improvisations, compositions with only notes.

Jati
At least five notes are required in each aroh and avroh to form a Raga.
Combinations of five, six, or seven swaras in each aroh and in avroh are
called Jati.

Odav
Combination of 5 swaras

Shadav
Combination of 6 swaras

Sampurna
Combination of 7 swaras

Sthayi
The first part of the composition. Mainly develops the lower and middle
octave (saptak).

Antara
Second part of the composition. Develops in the middle or higher note.