Odisha CHSE +2 Vocational Flute / Violin / Sitar key terms

The fundamental concept of sound in Hindustani music, understood as the raw acoustic material from which all musical notes arise. It is classified as anahata, unstruck or self-existent sound, and ahata, struck or produced sound.

A microtonal interval, traditionally twenty-two to an octave, used as the theoretical unit for measuring pitch distance. Shrutis explain how swaras sit at slightly different heights in different ragas.

A musical note with a definite pitch and a specific position within the scale. Seven shuddha swaras exist, and five can be altered to komal or tivra forms, giving twelve pitch positions per octave.

The octave of seven note positions, named from Sa to Ni with Sa repeating at the top. Three registers are recognised: mandra, madhya, and taar, and a performer moves between them for expressive contrast.

The ascending order of notes that defines how a raga rises from its lower register to its upper register. It may omit or skip notes, and its shape often differs from the descending path.

The descending order of notes that defines how a raga falls from its upper register to its lower register. Avaroha frequently includes notes absent in the ascent and helps identify the raga's character.

A short, recognisable phrase that captures the essential melodic identity of a raga. Hearing it allows a listener to identify the raga quickly, and performers use it as a touchstone during improvisation.

The principal or king note of a raga, the pitch on which the melody most often rests and around which phrases are built. Its prominence shapes the raga's emotional colour.

The second most important note of a raga, usually a fourth or fifth away from the vadi. It supports the vadi and helps define the raga's tonal centre of gravity.

A melodic framework in Hindustani music defined by its ascending and descending note paths, dominant notes, characteristic phrases, and mood. It provides the material for improvisation rather than a fixed composition.

The emotional flavour or aesthetic sentiment a raga evokes, such as devotion, pathos, heroism, or tranquillity. Classical theory links particular ragas and performance times to specific rasas.

A three-hour division of the day used in Hindustani music to assign ragas to particular performance times. Eight prahars cover the full cycle, and ragas are grouped by morning, afternoon, evening, and night.

The rhythmic cycle in Hindustani music, a repeating framework of beats grouped into bars and marked by hand claps, waves, and silent counts. Each tala has a fixed length and a defined starting point.

The first beat of a tala cycle, regarded as its point of resolution and structural weight. Melodic and rhythmic phrases are usually designed to arrive on sam, and it is marked by a clap.

A sixteen-beat tala divided into four bars of four beats, marked by claps on beats one, five, and thirteen and a wave on beat nine. It is the most common cycle for khayal and instrumental performance.

A ten-beat tala arranged in four bars of two, three, two, and three beats, with claps on beats one, three, and eight and a wave on beat six. It is common in khayal and in instrumental gat compositions.

A seven-beat tala with bars of three, two, and two beats. It is unusual because its opening beat is marked by a wave rather than a clap, so sam is counted as khali.

An eight-beat tala in two bars of four beats, marked by a clap on beat one and a wave on beat five. Its simple, song-like feel makes it common in light classical and folk-influenced pieces.

A six-beat tala in two bars of three beats, with a clap on beat one and a wave on beat four. It is widely used for thumri, dadra songs, and simple instrumental compositions.

The unaccented or empty section of a tala cycle, shown by a wave of the hand rather than a clap. It creates a lighter contrast to the clapped sections and is often where phrases turn away from sam.

The tempo or speed of a rhythmic cycle, usually described as slow, medium, or fast. It sets the pace of the composition and governs how much rhythmic elaboration a performer can attempt.

The art of playing with laya by subdividing or multiplying the beat, producing patterns such as double speed, quadruple speed, or three-against-two cross-rhythms. It demonstrates rhythmic control and is a key part of solo performance.

A melodic or rhythmic ornament exercise built from a repeating pattern, used to train technique and fluency. Alankaras are practised in ascending and descending sequences and form part of basic instrumental study.

A systematic exercise that permutes the notes of a raga or scale in changing orders to build finger control and familiarity with the raga's shape. Paltas are common in instrumental practice sessions.

A smooth glide from one note to another, produced on the sitar by pulling the string across the fret and on the violin by sliding the finger. It imitates vocal portamento and gives ragas their flowing character.

A heavy, forceful ornament in which a note is struck or shaken to produce a strong oscillation or emphasis. Different instruments realise it through string deflection, bow pressure, or rapid finger movement.

A grace note touched briefly before or after a main note, giving a subtle ornamental inflection. It is executed by a quick finger movement and is not counted as a full melodic note.

The plectrum worn on the index finger of the right hand when playing sitar or tanpura. Its angle and stroke direction control tone colour, attack, and the speed of plucked passages.

The two basic mizrab strokes on the sitar: da is the inward or downward stroke and ra is the outward or upward stroke. Alternating them gives speed and evenness to plucked phrases.

The control of sound quality through stroke placement, bow speed and pressure, or finger contact. Good tone is steady, resonant, and free of unwanted noise, and it is judged separately from speed or accuracy.

The technique of drawing the bow across the violin strings to shape attack, sustain, and volume. Even bow distribution and smooth direction changes are essential for sustaining long melodic phrases.

The choice and placement of fingers on the fingerboard or frets to produce notes and ornaments. Good fingering allows smooth transitions, accurate intonation, and clean execution of fast passages.

Setting the strings of an instrument to their correct relative pitches before performance. The sitar and tanpura are tuned to the tonic and supporting notes, while the violin uses standard fifths with the tonic matched to the singer.

An instrumental composition in a fixed tala, usually with a short melodic theme followed by rhythmic variation. It is the instrumental counterpart of a vocal bandish and forms the basis of solo presentation.

The opening, unmetred section of a raga performance in which the notes are introduced slowly without percussion. It unfolds the raga's character gradually, moving from lower to higher registers.

The section following alap in which a steady pulse is introduced while the melody continues without a tala cycle. It builds momentum and prepares the listener for the metrical composition.

A school of performance tracing its style to a founding master and passed down through a lineage of teachers and students. Each gharana has distinctive ornamentation, repertoire, and teaching methods.

A prominent instrumental tradition associated with the Maihar region and shaped by Allauddin Khan and his disciples. It is known for blending vocal-style phrasing with technical command and for producing major sitar and sarod exponents.

A leading sitar exponent of the twentieth century who popularised Hindustani music internationally and composed extensively for film and concert stage. His playing combined technical precision with lyrical phrasing.

A celebrated sitar player known for a vocal-derived style, sustain, and refined meend, associated with the Imdadkhani tradition. His approach emphasised melody and slow, expressive development over percussive display.

A slow tempo used for the opening composition, allowing broad melodic phrases and detailed ornamentation. It contrasts with the faster tempo that follows in the same performance.