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PSEB Matric Music Instrumental study materials
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PSEB Matric Music Instrumental practice questions

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Question 1Fundamentals of Indian Music: Nada, Swara, Saptak, Shruti and Laya

In Indian music, the term 'nada' refers to which of the following?

  1. Musical sound produced by regular vibration Correct answer.
  2. The written notation of a composition
  3. The physical posture of the performer
  4. The tuning peg of a tanpura

Explanation

Nada is the fundamental concept of sound itself in Indian music theory, understood as audible vibration. When the vibration is regular and pleasing it is called ahata nada, the basis of all melody and rhythm. Notation, posture and instrument parts are separate practical matters, not definitions of nada.

Question 2Fundamentals of Indian Music: Nada, Swara, Saptak, Shruti and Laya

Ahata nada is best described as sound that is:

  1. Heard only in deep meditation
  2. Created by the imagination without a source
  3. Produced by conscious effort through striking or blowing Correct answer.
  4. Silent and inaudible to listeners

Explanation

Ahata nada is struck or produced sound, generated when a performer sets an object or air column vibrating, as with a tabla or bansuri. It is contrasted with anahata nada, the unstruck inner sound. The distinction rests on whether an external physical cause produces the vibration.

Question 3Fundamentals of Indian Music: Nada, Swara, Saptak, Shruti and Laya

Which statement correctly distinguishes anahata nada from ahata nada?

  1. Anahata nada is the rhythm cycle used in accompaniment
  2. Anahata nada is produced only by stringed instruments
  3. Anahata nada is unstruck inner sound, while ahata nada is physically produced sound Correct answer.
  4. Anahata nada is louder than ahata nada in every performance

Explanation

The classical pair contrasts anahata, the unstruck or self-existent sound, with ahata, sound produced by an external stroke or effort. Anahata is a yogic and philosophical concept rather than a category of instrumental loudness. Rhythm cycles belong to tala, a different topic altogether.

Question 4Fundamentals of Indian Music: Nada, Swara, Saptak, Shruti and Laya

In Indian music, a 'swara' is:

  1. A complete rhythmic cycle
  2. A decorative ornament applied to a phrase
  3. The tempo of a composition
  4. A single musical note with a definite pitch Correct answer.

Explanation

Swara denotes a musical tone of definite pitch, the building block of melody in the raga system. Saptak, tala and laya deal with the register, the rhythmic cycle and the tempo respectively. Ornaments such as meend or murki decorate swaras but are not swaras themselves.

Question 5Fundamentals of Indian Music: Nada, Swara, Saptak, Shruti and Laya

How many shuddha swaras are there in the standard seven-note octave?

  1. Five
  2. Twelve
  3. Nine
  4. Seven Correct answer.

Explanation

The saptak contains seven note positions, and in their natural form these are the seven shuddha swaras: Sa, Re, Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, Ni. Vikrit swaras are the altered forms of Re, Ga, Ma, Dha and Ni, which is why the total number of swara positions rises to twelve. Nine and five do not match the seven positions of the octave.

Question 6Fundamentals of Indian Music: Nada, Swara, Saptak, Shruti and Laya

Which swara positions can take komal (flattened) forms?

  1. Sa and Pa
  2. Re, Ga, Dha and Ni Correct answer.
  3. Sa, Ma and Pa
  4. Ma only

Explanation

In the standard system, Re, Ga, Dha and Ni each have a komal form, while Ma has a tivra form. Sa and Pa are achala, fixed swaras that never change. Therefore komal alteration applies to those four positions only.

Question 7Fundamentals of Indian Music: Nada, Swara, Saptak, Shruti and Laya

Tivra Ma is best described as:

  1. A synonym for Pa
  2. A sharpened form of the fourth note Correct answer.
  3. A fixed note that never changes
  4. A komal form of the fourth note

Explanation

Ma is the only swara whose altered form is called tivra rather than komal, and it is raised in pitch. Sa and Pa are the fixed achala swaras, so Ma is not among them. Tivra Ma is a distinct note position, not another name for Pa.

Question 8Fundamentals of Indian Music: Nada, Swara, Saptak, Shruti and Laya

A student sings Sa, then sings the same note at double the pitch level in the higher register. This movement illustrates:

  1. A move into the next saptak Correct answer.
  2. A change from shuddha to vikrit swara
  3. A change of laya
  4. A change of tala

Explanation

A saptak is the span of seven notes from one Sa to the next Sa at double the frequency, so moving to the higher Sa enters the next saptak, called tar saptak. Tala concerns rhythm cycles and laya concerns tempo, neither of which changes here. The note itself remains shuddha Sa, so no vikrit alteration occurs.

Question 9Fundamentals of Indian Music: Nada, Swara, Saptak, Shruti and Laya

Which set of names correctly labels the three registers of the saptak?

  1. Sthayi, Antara and Sanchari
  2. Mandra, Madhya and Tar Correct answer.
  3. Shuddha, Komal and Tivra
  4. Vilambit, Madhya and Drut

Explanation

The three saptaks are mandra (lower), madhya (middle) and tar (upper). Vilambit, madhya and drut are laya terms for slow, medium and fast tempo. Shuddha, komal and tivra describe swara forms, and sthayi, antara and sanchari are parts of a composition.

Question 10Fundamentals of Indian Music: Nada, Swara, Saptak, Shruti and Laya

In which saptak does a performer normally sing or play the main body of a composition?

  1. Tar saptak
  2. Madhya saptak Correct answer.
  3. Mandra saptak
  4. Ati-tar saptak

Explanation

The madhya saptak is the middle register in which the main melodic material is normally presented. Mandra saptak is used for lower, heavier passages and tar saptak for the upper register. Ati-tar is not one of the standard three saptaks.

Question 11Fundamentals of Indian Music: Nada, Swara, Saptak, Shruti and Laya

The term 'shruti' in Indian music most commonly refers to:

  1. A minute interval of pitch used in theoretical measurement Correct answer.
  2. A rhythmic division within a tala
  3. An ornament used in instrumental playing
  4. A type of composition in a raga

Explanation

Shruti denotes a minute pitch interval, and classical texts describe twenty-two shrutis within the octave as a theoretical measure. It is not a rhythmic unit, an ornament or a compositional form. Modern practice uses twelve swara positions while shruti remains an analytical concept.

Question 12Fundamentals of Indian Music: Nada, Swara, Saptak, Shruti and Laya

According to the traditional classification, how many shrutis are counted within the octave?

  1. Twenty-four
  2. Sixteen
  3. Twelve
  4. Twenty-two Correct answer.

Explanation

Classical Indian music theory counts twenty-two shrutis in the octave, a figure found in the older treatises. The twelve positions of the swara system are a separate and more practical division. Sixteen and twenty-four are not the traditional count.

Question 13Fundamentals of Indian Music: Nada, Swara, Saptak, Shruti and Laya

What is the practical difference between a shruti and a swara?

  1. A shruti is always higher in pitch than a swara
  2. A shruti is rhythmic, while a swara is melodic
  3. A shruti is a minute interval, while a swara is a usable musical note Correct answer.
  4. A shruti is a note, while a swara is an interval

Explanation

Shruti is a theoretical measure of minute pitch distance, while swara is a note actually used to build melody. The two are related but not interchangeable, since many shrutis can lie within the span of one swara. Neither term is rhythmic, and pitch height is not what separates them.

Question 14Fundamentals of Indian Music: Nada, Swara, Saptak, Shruti and Laya

The term 'laya' in Indian music refers to:

  1. The number of beats in a cycle
  2. The ornamentation of a raga
  3. The tempo or speed of the musical flow Correct answer.
  4. The pitch of the tonic Sa

Explanation

Laya is the speed or tempo at which music proceeds, and it is described as vilambit, madhya or drut. The number of beats in a cycle is a property of tala, while the tonic pitch is a matter of tuning. Ornamentation belongs to raga elaboration, not laya.

Question 15Fundamentals of Indian Music: Nada, Swara, Saptak, Shruti and Laya

Which sequence correctly orders the three standard laya speeds from slowest to fastest?

  1. Drut, Madhya, Vilambit
  2. Vilambit, Drut, Madhya
  3. Vilambit, Madhya, Drut Correct answer.
  4. Madhya, Vilambit, Drut

Explanation

Vilambit is the slow tempo, madhya the medium tempo and drut the fast tempo, so the correct order is vilambit, madhya, drut. The other sequences place fast before slow or misplace the medium speed. Remembering that vilambit means slow anchors the whole order.

Question 16Fundamentals of Indian Music: Nada, Swara, Saptak, Shruti and Laya

If a performer doubles the tempo while keeping the tala cycle unchanged, the laya has moved from:

  1. Drut to vilambit
  2. Madhya to vilambit
  3. Vilambit to madhya
  4. Madhya to drut Correct answer.

Explanation

Doubling a medium tempo produces a fast tempo, so the change is from madhya laya to drut laya. The tala cycle itself is unchanged, so the beat count does not alter. Moving to vilambit would mean slowing down, which is the opposite of doubling.

Question 17Fundamentals of Indian Music: Nada, Swara, Saptak, Shruti and Laya

In which laya is the vilambit khayal traditionally presented?

  1. Vilambit laya Correct answer.
  2. Madhya laya
  3. Ati-drut laya
  4. Drut laya

Explanation

The vilambit khayal is by definition set in a slow tempo, so it belongs to vilambit laya. Drut and ati-drut are fast speeds suited to brisk compositions. Madhya laya is the medium speed used for other forms such as the madhya-laya khayal.

Question 18Fundamentals of Indian Music: Nada, Swara, Saptak, Shruti and Laya

A student counts sixteen matras in one repeating cycle. This observation concerns:

  1. Tala Correct answer.
  2. Shruti
  3. Laya
  4. Saptak

Explanation

Counting the beats that make up a repeating cycle is a matter of tala, since tala defines the cycle and its divisions. Laya would describe how fast those beats pass, not how many there are. Shruti and saptak belong to pitch, not to beat structure.

Question 19Fundamentals of Indian Music: Nada, Swara, Saptak, Shruti and Laya

Which pair of terms is correctly matched with its meaning?

  1. Laya - ornament; Nada - rhythm
  2. Saptak - tempo; Tala - register
  3. Swara - note; Shruti - minute interval Correct answer.
  4. Nada - silence; Laya - pitch

Explanation

Swara is a note of definite pitch and shruti is a minute pitch interval, so this pairing is correct. The other pairs scramble the concepts, assigning silence, pitch, tempo or rhythm to the wrong terms. Careful matching of each term to its domain prevents these confusions.

Question 20Fundamentals of Indian Music: Nada, Swara, Saptak, Shruti and Laya

Why is Sa considered the most important swara in practical training?

  1. It is the only swara used in tala
  2. It is the tonic and reference point for all other notes Correct answer.
  3. It is the highest note of the tar saptak
  4. It is the only swara that can be tivra

Explanation

Sa is the tonic, the fixed reference from which all other swaras are tuned and heard, which is why students begin with it. Only Ma takes a tivra form, so that claim is false. Sa is a note position that recurs in every saptak, not a rhythmic device.

Question 21Fundamentals of Indian Music: Nada, Swara, Saptak, Shruti and Laya

A performer deliberately slows the tempo of a composition while keeping the same tala. The change is best described as a shift toward:

  1. Tar saptak
  2. Drut laya
  3. Tivra swara
  4. Vilambit laya Correct answer.

Explanation

Slowing the tempo moves the performance toward vilambit laya, the slow speed. Drut is the opposite direction, and tar saptak and tivra swara concern pitch rather than speed. The tala remains the same, so only laya has changed.

Question 22Fundamentals of Indian Music: Nada, Swara, Saptak, Shruti and Laya

Which statement about the twelve swara positions is accurate?

  1. They consist of nine shuddha and three vikrit forms
  2. They consist of twelve shuddha forms only
  3. They consist of seven shuddha and five vikrit forms Correct answer.
  4. They consist of six shuddha and six vikrit forms

Explanation

The twelve positions arise from seven shuddha swaras plus five altered forms: komal Re, Ga, Dha, Ni and tivra Ma. Sa and Pa have no altered forms, which is why five rather than seven vikrit notes exist. Any split that gives six, nine or twelve shuddha notes contradicts this structure.

Question 23Fundamentals of Indian Music: Nada, Swara, Saptak, Shruti and Laya

Which statement best explains the relationship between nada, swara and raga?

  1. Swara is sound, nada is a note, and raga is a tempo
  2. Nada is rhythm, swara is a beat, and raga is a cycle
  3. Nada is sound, swara is a note drawn from it, and raga is a melodic framework built from swaras Correct answer.
  4. Nada is a raga, swara is its tala, and raga is its laya

Explanation

Nada is the raw phenomenon of musical sound, swara is a pitched note selected from that sound, and a raga is a structured melodic framework using those notes. The other options confuse pitch concepts with rhythm and tempo. Building the hierarchy from sound to note to raga keeps each term in its proper place.

Question 24Fundamentals of Indian Music: Nada, Swara, Saptak, Shruti and Laya

A teacher asks a student to identify the achala swaras. Which answer is correct?

  1. Ma and Dha
  2. Re and Ga
  3. Dha and Ni
  4. Sa and Pa Correct answer.

Explanation

Achala means immovable, and only Sa and Pa never take an altered form in the standard system. Re, Ga, Dha and Ni all have komal forms, and Ma has a tivra form. Therefore any pair containing those notes cannot be the achala swaras.

Question 25Notation Systems and Writing Notation (Bhatkhande and Vishnu Digambar)

In the Bhatkhande (Hindustani) notation system, which symbol is placed immediately after a note to raise it by one semitone within the same octave?

  1. The sign 'S' written above the note
  2. A horizontal line under the note
  3. A small upward-pointing stroke or the sign for a komal note is not used; instead the note letter is written in capitals Correct answer.
  4. A dot placed above the note

Explanation

Bhatkhande notation distinguishes pitch class mainly by capital versus small letters and by placing a dot above or below for octave, not by accidentals in the Western sense. A komal (flattened) note is shown by writing the letter in small case, and a tivra Ma is shown by a special mark, so raising within the octave is not done with a dot above. The dot above a letter marks the upper octave, which is why that option is wrong.

Question 26Notation Systems and Writing Notation (Bhatkhande and Vishnu Digambar)

In Vishnu Digambar Paluskar's notation, how is a komal (flattened) swara most typically indicated?

  1. By writing the swara letter in a special script form with a stroke through it Correct answer.
  2. By placing a comma after the swara letter
  3. By underlining the swara letter
  4. By writing the swara letter with a small circle beneath it

Explanation

Paluskar's system uses Devanagari letters for swaras and modifies the letter form itself, for example with an added stroke, to show komal swaras. Octave placement is shown by dots above or below, and duration by lines and spaces. Underlining and commas serve other functions such as octave or time marking.

Question 27Notation Systems and Writing Notation (Bhatkhande and Vishnu Digambar)

In Bhatkhande notation, what does a dot placed below a swara letter signify?

  1. The note is a komal swara
  2. The note is to be sung softly
  3. The note belongs to the lower octave (mandra saptak) Correct answer.
  4. The note is prolonged by one matra

Explanation

Bhatkhande notation uses dots to fix the octave of a note: a dot below the letter places it in the mandra (lower) octave, and a dot above places it in the tar (upper) octave. Dynamics and komalness are shown by other means, and duration is shown by lines and spaces in the rhythmic layout.

Question 28Notation Systems and Writing Notation (Bhatkhande and Vishnu Digambar)

Which pair correctly matches a notation system with the script it traditionally employs for swara letters?

  1. Bhatkhande - Roman; Paluskar - Roman
  2. Bhatkhande - Devanagari; Paluskar - Roman
  3. Bhatkhande - Roman; Paluskar - Devanagari
  4. Bhatkhande - Devanagari; Paluskar - Devanagari Correct answer.

Explanation

Both Pandit Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande and Pandit Vishnu Digambar Paluskar wrote their notations using Devanagari letters for the swaras, though their conventions for octave, komal/tivra and duration differ. Roman letters appear in later simplified or teaching adaptations rather than in the classical formulations of either system.

Question 29Notation Systems and Writing Notation (Bhatkhande and Vishnu Digambar)

In both Bhatkhande and Paluskar notation, what is the primary purpose of the vertical line (bar line) drawn in the rhythmic layout?

  1. To separate two different ragas in a composition
  2. To indicate that the note before it is komal
  3. To mark the end of an avartan or vibhag boundary in the tala cycle Correct answer.
  4. To show that the performer should breathe

Explanation

Notation is laid out against a tala, and vertical lines mark the boundaries of vibhagas (and hence the completion of an avartan), so that the placement of notes relative to the matras is clear. They are structural markers of the rhythmic cycle, not pitch or breath indications.

Question 30Notation Systems and Writing Notation (Bhatkhande and Vishnu Digambar)

Which symbol in Bhatkhande notation indicates that a note is to be held or extended across more than one matra?

  1. A tilde placed before the note
  2. A dash or horizontal line drawn after the note Correct answer.
  3. A small vertical stroke above the note
  4. A cross mark above the note

Explanation

In Bhatkhande's scheme the horizontal space and dashes after a swara show how long it is held, so a dash or extended line indicates prolongation over additional matras. Other marks such as crosses and strokes are used for ornaments, rests or special instructions rather than simple duration.

Question 31Notation Systems and Writing Notation (Bhatkhande and Vishnu Digambar)

A student notates a phrase in Bhatkhande notation and writes S R G M in capitals with a dot above each letter. What does this notation convey?

  1. The four swaras are sung in the tar saptak Correct answer.
  2. The four swaras are komal
  3. The four swaras are sung in the mandra saptak
  4. The four swaras are to be sung in a single matra each

Explanation

In Bhatkhande notation capital letters denote shuddha swaras and a dot above raises the octave, so a dotted capital letter belongs to the tar (upper) saptak. Mandra saptak would require dots below, and komal status would require small letters. Duration is not conveyed by the octave dot.

Question 32Notation Systems and Writing Notation (Bhatkhande and Vishnu Digambar)

In Paluskar notation, a swara letter carries a horizontal line beneath it. What does this most likely indicate?

  1. The swara is to be repeated
  2. The swara belongs to the mandra saptak Correct answer.
  3. The swara is tivra
  4. The swara is the sam of the tala

Explanation

Paluskar's system uses marks above and below letters to place notes in the upper and lower octaves respectively, so a line beneath a letter signals the mandra saptak. Tivra is indicated by a different modification of the letter, and repetition or sam placement is shown by other devices.

Question 33Notation Systems and Writing Notation (Bhatkhande and Vishnu Digambar)

Why do both Bhatkhande and Paluskar notation write a composition in a grid aligned with matras rather than as a continuous line of letters?

  1. Because matra alignment replaces the need to name the raga
  2. Because the rhythmic position of each swara relative to the tala must be unambiguous Correct answer.
  3. Because the systems were designed for percussion only
  4. Because Indian music has no fixed pitch

Explanation

Hindustani compositions are set to a tala, and the exact matra on which each swara falls determines its phrasing and its relation to sam, khali and tali. Aligning notation to a matra grid makes that placement explicit, which a continuous line of letters could not do. Pitch and raga identity are still notated separately.

Question 34Notation Systems and Writing Notation (Bhatkhande and Vishnu Digambar)

A notation shows the swara Ma with a sharp vertical stroke through the letter in Paluskar's convention. Which swara is intended?

  1. Komal Ma
  2. Mandra Ma
  3. Shuddha Ma
  4. Tivra Ma Correct answer.

Explanation

In Paluskar's notation the tivra (raised) form of Ma is distinguished by a modification of the letter, commonly a stroke, since Ma has no komal form in the standard seven shuddha swaras. Shuddha Ma is written unmodified, and octave placement is shown by separate marks.

Question 35Notation Systems and Writing Notation (Bhatkhande and Vishnu Digambar)

In Bhatkhande notation, how is a rest (a matra on which no swara is sung) usually represented?

  1. By writing the letter 'S' in that position
  2. By doubling the previous swara letter
  3. By a dot above the previous note
  4. By a blank space or a dash in the matra position Correct answer.

Explanation

Bhatkhande notation preserves the matra grid, so a matra without a swara is left blank or filled with a dash to keep the alignment of subsequent notes correct. Reusing S would wrongly indicate Shadja, and dots or doubled letters would change pitch or duration rather than showing silence.

Question 36Notation Systems and Writing Notation (Bhatkhande and Vishnu Digambar)

Which statement best explains why Bhatkhande adopted small letters for komal swaras instead of adding accidental signs to capital letters?

  1. Because komal swaras are always sung softly
  2. Because small letters indicate the sam of the tala
  3. Because small letters were reserved for the tar saptak
  4. Because Devanagari has no lower case, so the case distinction is a Roman-script adaptation used in printed editions Correct answer.

Explanation

Devanagari does not have upper and lower case, so the capital/small-letter convention belongs to Roman-script renderings of Bhatkhande notation used in teaching and printing. In Devanagari the distinction is made by modifying the letter form. Octave is shown by dots, not by letter case.

Question 37Notation Systems and Writing Notation (Bhatkhande and Vishnu Digambar)

A performer reading a Bhatkhande-notation bandish sees a cross (×) written at a bar line. What does this most likely mark?

  1. The sam, the first matra of the avartan Correct answer.
  2. The end of the composition
  3. A change of raga
  4. A komal swara at that point

Explanation

In tala notation the sam is conventionally marked with a cross (×) at the first matra of the cycle, with tali and khali marked by numerals and the zero symbol respectively. This helps the performer locate the structural accents of the tala. It does not indicate pitch alteration, raga change or the end of the piece.

Question 38Notation Systems and Writing Notation (Bhatkhande and Vishnu Digambar)

In Paluskar's notation, which device is used to indicate that a swara is to be sung with a glide (meend) from the preceding note?

  1. Writing both letters in capitals
  2. A dot between the two letters
  3. A curved line joining the two swara letters Correct answer.
  4. A vertical line between the two letters

Explanation

A curved line drawn between two swara letters is the conventional sign for a smooth glide or meend connecting them, showing that the pitch moves continuously rather than by a leap. Dots and vertical lines carry octave and rhythmic functions, and capitalisation relates to shuddha status in Roman renderings.

Question 39Notation Systems and Writing Notation (Bhatkhande and Vishnu Digambar)

A candidate compares the two systems and notes that Paluskar notation often writes the text (sahitya) directly beneath the swara letters, syllable by syllable. What is the main notational benefit of this?

  1. It fixes the raga's ascending and descending scale
  2. It aligns each syllable with its matra and swara, clarifying the setting of the composition Correct answer.
  3. It indicates which swaras are komal
  4. It replaces the need for tala markings

Explanation

Placing each syllable under its swara shows exactly how the text is set to the melody and rhythm, which is essential for correct pronunciation and phrasing in a bandish. The raga's scale is given separately by aroha and avaroha, tala markings remain necessary, and komal status is shown by the letter form.

Question 40Notation Systems and Writing Notation (Bhatkhande and Vishnu Digambar)

In Bhatkhande notation, a swara letter is followed by a horizontal line that extends across two matra columns. What is the correct reading?

  1. The swara is repeated on each of the two following matras
  2. The swara is komal
  3. The swara is sung once and held for a total of three matras Correct answer.
  4. The swara belongs to the upper octave

Explanation

The swara occupies its own matra column and the extending line shows that the same pitch is sustained through the following columns, so the total duration is the original matra plus the two covered by the line. Repetition would require the letter to be written again, while komalness and octave are shown by letter form and dots.

Question 41Notation Systems and Writing Notation (Bhatkhande and Vishnu Digambar)

A student claims that because Paluskar notation uses Devanagari letters, it cannot represent the tar saptak. Which observation best refutes this?

  1. Paluskar notation omits the tar saptak entirely
  2. Paluskar notation writes tar saptak notes in Roman capitals
  3. Paluskar notation indicates the tar saptak by changing the tala
  4. Paluskar notation adds dots or strokes above letters to place notes in the tar saptak Correct answer.

Explanation

Octave placement in Paluskar notation is handled by supplementary marks, typically dots or small strokes above the letter for the upper octave, so the Devanagari base letters serve all three octaves. The system does not switch scripts for the upper octave, nor does it omit that register.

Question 42Notation Systems and Writing Notation (Bhatkhande and Vishnu Digambar)

Two editors publish the same bandish. Editor A writes komal swaras in small letters with dots for octave; Editor B modifies the Devanagari letter forms and uses under-lines for the mandra saptak. What is the most accurate conclusion?

  1. Editor A is notating tala and Editor B is notating raga
  2. Both editors are using identical conventions and the difference is only typographic
  3. Editor A is using a Roman-script adaptation of Bhatkhande conventions and Editor B is using Paluskar-style conventions Correct answer.
  4. Editor B's version cannot represent komal swaras

Explanation

The small-letter convention with dots for octave is characteristic of Roman-script renderings of Bhatkhande notation, while modified Devanagari letter forms with under-lines for the lower octave follow Paluskar's approach. Both versions can encode the same bandish; the difference lies in the notational convention, not in what musical information is representable.

Question 43Notation Systems and Writing Notation (Bhatkhande and Vishnu Digambar)

A notation shows a swara in the mandra saptak followed immediately by the same swara in the tar saptak, joined by a curved line. Which reading is most consistent with standard conventions?

  1. A rest between the two notes
  2. A meend gliding from the lower-octave note up to the upper-octave note Correct answer.
  3. A change of tala at that point
  4. A direct leap between the two octaves with no glide

Explanation

Octave dots fix the register of each note, and the curved joining line denotes a continuous glide, so the passage is a meend spanning the octave. A plain leap would be written without the curve, and the sign has nothing to do with rests or tala changes.

Question 44Notation Systems and Writing Notation (Bhatkhande and Vishnu Digambar)

Which feature most clearly distinguishes the two systems when notating the same ascending phrase that passes through tivra Ma?

  1. Bhatkhande marks tivra Ma with a special sign on the letter, while Paluskar marks it by a modified letter form Correct answer.
  2. Bhatkhande cannot notate tivra Ma at all
  3. Paluskar writes tivra Ma as a small letter, while Bhatkhande uses a dot above
  4. Both systems write tivra Ma identically as a plain capital M

Explanation

Both systems can notate tivra Ma, but they use different graphic devices: Bhatkhande attaches a distinguishing mark to the letter, and Paluskar alters the letter form itself. Neither writes it as a plain unmodified letter, and small letters in Bhatkhande denote komal swaras rather than tivra.

Question 45Raga Theory: Aroha, Avaroha, Pakad, Vadi, Samvadi, Jati and Time of Performance

In Hindustani music, what does the term 'aroha' refer to?

  1. The descending movement of a raga from higher to lower notes
  2. The most frequently used note in a raga
  3. A short characteristic phrase that identifies a raga
  4. The ascending movement of a raga from lower to higher notes Correct answer.

Explanation

Aroha (also called arohi or arohana) is the ascending order in which the notes of a raga are arranged, moving from the lower register upward. It defines which notes are taken on the way up and sometimes differs from the descending order. Avaroha is the descending counterpart.

Question 46Raga Theory: Aroha, Avaroha, Pakad, Vadi, Samvadi, Jati and Time of Performance

The term 'avaroha' in raga theory denotes which of the following?

  1. The time of day prescribed for a raga
  2. The total number of notes used in a raga
  3. The paired companion note of the vadi
  4. The descending sequence of notes in a raga Correct answer.

Explanation

Avaroha (avarohana) is the descending order of notes of a raga. It is often written after the aroha and may include additional notes, such as komal or shuddha variants, that are not taken while ascending. Together, aroha and avaroha map the melodic outline of the raga.

Question 47Raga Theory: Aroha, Avaroha, Pakad, Vadi, Samvadi, Jati and Time of Performance

What is the pakad of a raga?

  1. The rhythmic cycle used in the composition
  2. A brief phrase of notes that reveals the raga's identity Correct answer.
  3. The slow introductory section performed without tabla
  4. The final note on which a raga is concluded

Explanation

The pakad is a short, characteristic melodic phrase that captures the essential movement of a raga and allows listeners to recognise it. It usually combines the vadi, samvadi and distinctive turns of the raga. Performers often use the pakad as a basis for improvisation.

Question 48Raga Theory: Aroha, Avaroha, Pakad, Vadi, Samvadi, Jati and Time of Performance

In raga terminology, the vadi is best described as which note?

  1. The note borrowed from a neighbouring raga
  2. The most prominent and frequently emphasised note Correct answer.
  3. The note that is always avoided in the ascent
  4. The note that begins every composition

Explanation

The vadi is the principal note of a raga, the one given greatest emphasis and around which the melodic movement often revolves. It is also called the amsa or jiva swara because it gives the raga its life. Its partner is the samvadi.

Question 49Raga Theory: Aroha, Avaroha, Pakad, Vadi, Samvadi, Jati and Time of Performance

How is the samvadi related to the vadi in a raga?

  1. It is the second most important note, usually a fourth or fifth from the vadi Correct answer.
  2. It is the note that is completely omitted from the raga
  3. It is always the tonic Sa of the raga
  4. It is the lowest note reached in the avaroha

Explanation

The samvadi is the second in importance after the vadi and typically lies a perfect fourth or fifth away from it. The relationship between vadi and samvadi shapes the melodic balance of the raga. Sa is not automatically the samvadi.

Question 50Raga Theory: Aroha, Avaroha, Pakad, Vadi, Samvadi, Jati and Time of Performance

In raga theory, the term 'jati' refers to which characteristic?

  1. The number of beats in the rhythmic cycle
  2. The tempo at which a composition is sung
  3. The number of notes a raga uses in ascent and descent Correct answer.
  4. The season in which a raga is performed

Explanation

Jati classifies a raga by how many notes it employs in aroha and avaroha, using terms such as audav (five), shadav (six) and sampurna (seven). A raga may have different counts in ascent and descent, giving compound labels such as audav-sampurna. Jati therefore concerns note density, not tempo or season.