Indian Classical Y10 2021

L1: The Tala

- What is a tala
- What is a tabla

- Ss Learn to play the 12-beat tala with cut outs? Then a pen tapping rhythm? Said and
played at the same time.
o Repeat after me
o Start doing hand movements
o Sam (sum)
o Bols
o Tabla
o Tabla strokes

- Ss learn the ascending and descending (aaroh and avroh) notes in raga durga

o Ektaal (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgxkGOvIAOo&t=82s) 12 beat cycle

Din din darge tirikita tu na ka tin darge tirikita dee nah

Clap ring, left ring, clap ring, left ring, clap ring, clap ring
-
 Raag Durga
audav-audav (i.e., pentatonic-pentatonic)
Symmetric raga – Notes go up in the same way they come down

Durga is a very popular late evening rag.

The name Durga is derived from the name of the goddess Amba or Parvati. She is the wife of
Shiva and is associated with great power. She is also referred to as "Ma Durga" or "Durga
Mata", which means "Mother Durga". She is said to represent patience and fearlessness.
(https://chandrakantha.com/raga_raag/durga/durga.html)

Raag Durga is filled with innocence and purity. It is traditionally performed from late evening
to midnight. Its vadi (most important note) is ma, and samvadi (second most important
note) is Sa.
(https://raag-hindustani.com/Durga.html)

Sargam (Indian Classical’s term for Solfège)

Sa Re Ma Pa Dha Sa

EkTaal Guide
Dhin Dhin | Dhage TirKit | Tu Na | Ka Tin | Dhage TirKit | Dhi Na |

LH RH
Dhin Palm and Middle and Ring Slap index
Dhage Two stroke, palm then index Slap index
TirKit 3. hand slap 1. Three fingers 2. Index 4. Index
Tu Hand Slap Slap index
Na Slap index
Ka Three fingers
Tin Slap index (slightly lighter)
Dhi Bass with middle and ring Slap index
 Free improvisation without table or fixed composition (alap); transitions
from extremely slow to catchy to rapid tempos.
vistar (slow) ➔
When performing a raga, the
artist begins gently to
introduce it to the audience.
Starting with a few notes,
romancing the audience
gently and showing different
facets while gradually
expanding to include the
whole octave worth of notes
This section can be quite
challenging for an artist as
there is no accompaniment.
The performer has to paint an
effective picture of the raga
and hold the audience
attention with just a few notes
and techniques to ornament
them.
Improvisation structured around fixed compositions (bandish)
with table accompaniment
jod (catchy) ➔ taan (rapid) ➔ madhya-laya bandish ➔ drut bandish
Vistar transitions into The catchy jod A composition has a set melody In this section the artist
jod. The transition is section gains pace and is designed to fit into a switches to a different
marked with a steady and becomes quite specific rhythm pattern (taal) composition in the same
pulse being dramatic. Rapid when you improvise around it, you raga, often set to a
introduced. Rhythm note sequences have to make sure to come back to different taal at a
becomes more called taan are the composition once in a while on perceptibly higher
pronounced, and introduced. Taans the right beat (the sam) tempo.
notes become even are inspired by
spaced. This section mathematical The madhya-laya bandish section This part of the
paints a very clear patterns of notes. typically starts at a modest pace performance can be very
outline of the raga. and gains speed as it approaches exciting as the rhythm
the next section. In this section the reaches rapid tempos and
artist may improvise melodic the artist gets to show off
variations using the lyrics of the their ability to improvise
composition itself. The composer at dizzying speeds while
can also choose to use the pure interacting with the
vowel sound, or meaningless rhythm.
syllables called nom-tom

Structure of a Raga Performance

(https://raag-hindustani.com/Performance.html)
 Instruments & Ornaments

Dhol

Ornaments

Generally, in Indian Music and especially in Hindustani Classical Music Staccato or isolated
notes are almost unheard. With the exception of very few instruments, the notes in Indian
music are not static in nature. While performing, each note is linked to the preceding and the
succeeding note using one of the ornament types found in this type of music.

Kan are the grace notes used in Hindustani Music. They are usually used to link different
notes while performing

Meend in its simplest form can be compared to a glide between two notes, this glide can be
between two notes or between two notes in two different octaves. Moreover, the speed of this
glide can change while the glide is being performed. Also, during the glide, it can rest on
some notes for a short span of time and then carry on.

(http://www.mtg.upf.edu/static/media/Pratyush-Master-Thesis-2010.pdf)