MUSIC OF INDIA

INDIAN MUSIC
• 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.
 INSTRUMENTAL
VOCAL MUSIC
MUSIC
 Music made specifically  Instrumental music
for voices. It may be is made solely for
voices.
performed with or
without instruments.
 Vocal Music
 India’s classical music
tradition includes Carnatic
and Hindustani music and
several types of folk and
popular music.
 Uses melismatic singing
with nasal vocal quality.
 Vocal Music
SAMAGANA
 Singing based on a set of
pitches during the Vedic
times.

SAMA VEDA
 A sacred text, were sung as
samagana and not chanted.
 Vocal Music
RIG VEDA
 Also sung in the Samagana
traditional 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 kriti
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 Music
 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.
 1. GHAN – described as a non-
membranous percussive instrument
but with solid resonators.

GHATAM NOUT KARTA MANJIRA

 2. AVANADDH – described as a
membranous percussive instrument.
This class of instrument typically
comprise the drums.
DAF DHOL TABLA
(DUF, DAPHU)
 3. SUSHIR – also known as “blown
air”. It is characterized by the use of
air to excite the various resonators.

SHANKH BANSURI SURPETI SHEHNAI

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

GOTUVADYAM GOPICHAND

EKTAR
SITAR RABAB
 5. VITAT – described as bowed
stringed instruments.

BANAM ESRAJ SARANGI CHIKARA

 TALA
 Rhythm plays an important
role in Indian Music.

TALA THEKA
 Literally means “clap”  A sequence of drum
variously translated as “tal”, system of rhythm.
“taal”, or “taala”.
 Common Indian system of
rhythm.
LET’S DO THE TALA!

A. TINTAL OR TEENTAL (16 BEATS)

LET’S DO THE TALA!

B. CHAUTAL (12 BEATS)

 NAME IT!
1. 3.

2. 4.
 NAME IT!
5. 7.

6. 8.
 NAME IT!
9. 10.
 Sample Song of India
Anile Anile
Anile anile odi vaa Aḻaku anile odi
vaa Koyyā maram ēṟi vā Kuṇṭu
paḻam koṇṭu 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
Thank you!