PSEB Matric Music Vocal key terms

A patterned exercise that moves swaras in a fixed order, such as ascending, descending, or skipping figures, used to build accuracy, breath control and finger or voice fluency before presenting a raga.

The gradual, improvised unfolding of a raga in which phrases expand from the lower register upward, revealing the raga's characteristic movements without the fixed words of a composition.

A fixed composed song in a raga and tala, with lyrics, a sthayi in the lower half and an antara in the upper half, serving as the framework for improvisation and elaboration.

The first section of a bandish, usually set in the lower and middle register and ending on or near the sam, which establishes the raga and the tala cycle for the listener.

The second section of a bandish, normally pitched in the upper register and often introducing the higher swaras of the raga, after which the performer returns to the sthayi.

A short, recognisable phrase or set of phrases that captures the essential shape of a raga and allows listeners to identify it even when the full scale is not being stated.

Singing or playing using swara syllables such as Sa, Re, Ga instead of the song text, used in exercises and in improvisation to display note patterns clearly.

A garland-of-notes composition in which successive lines or phrases are set in different ragas under one tala, performed to demonstrate command over several ragas in a single piece.

A didactic song whose lyrics describe a raga's scale, important notes, time of day and mood, so that singing the composition also teaches the raga's defining features.

Tempo or speed of rhythmic movement in music, commonly grouped as slow, medium and fast, and used as a structural element in improvisation and composition.

A repeating rhythmic cycle built from beats grouped into sections, each cycle marked by a strong point and given identity by a specific theka played on tabla.

A single beat or unit of time in a tala cycle; counting matras aloud, with a clap or wave of the hand, is the basic skill for keeping time.

A section or division of a tala cycle containing a fixed number of matras, marked by a tali or khali, for example the four sections of sixteen matras in Teental.

The first and most important matra of a tala cycle, shown by a clap, where phrases and compositions normally resolve and which performers aim to reach together.

A clapped beat marking the start of a vibhag in a tala cycle; tali positions are sounded on the hand and are considered accented points of the rhythm.

An unaccented section marker in a tala cycle shown by a wave of the hand rather than a clap, giving a lighter, open feel to that part of the rhythm.

The standard set of tabla syllables that expresses a tala's matras and sections, memorised by reciting bols so that the cycle can be recognised and accompanied.

A spoken rhythmic syllable such as dha, dhin, tin or na, used to recite tabla patterns and to teach and remember percussion compositions.

The ascending and descending order of swaras used in a raga; together they show the raga's scale and any notes omitted or used only in one direction.

The classification of a raga by how many swaras it uses in ascent and descent, such as five, six or seven notes, giving terms like audav, shadav and sampurna.

The most important swara of a raga, the note around which phrases revolve and which is given the greatest emphasis during performance.

The second most important swara of a raga, usually a fourth or fifth away from the vadi, which supports it and helps define the raga's character.

The defining features of a raga, including its scale, vadi and samvadi, characteristic phrases and suitable time, used to identify and describe it in theory.

A written system using swara abbreviations, lines and symbols for octave, duration and tala divisions, with compositions set out in columns matching the beats of the cycle.

An alternative Indian notation system that uses swara letters with marks for register and duration, written in a horizontal flow rather than in beat-by-beat columns.

A school of Hindustani music named after a city or family, transmitting a distinctive style, repertoire and teaching lineage from master to disciple over generations.

A fast, ornamented vocal form with quick, rolling phrases and a lively character, historically linked to the Punjab region and to camel drivers' songs.

A fast composition sung on rhythmic syllables rather than meaningful words, used to display speed, clarity and command of tala at the end of a performance.

A long-necked drone instrument with four or more strings, plucked continuously to provide a steady reference pitch and harmonic background for a singer.

A pair of hand drums, the smaller tuned drum and the larger bass drum, used to accompany Hindustani music and to sound the theka of a tala.

A small keyboard instrument with bellows and reeds, widely used to accompany vocalists, to sound the drone and to give starting notes to students.

A musical note or pitch in Indian music, named Sa, Re, Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, Ni, and either fixed in position or altered by a komal or tivra form.

A parent scale of seven notes from which several ragas are derived by altering or omitting notes, used by Bhatkhande to group ragas into ten families.

The opening, unmetred exposition of a raga, sung or played slowly without tabla, introducing the notes and mood before the composed section begins.

A practice pattern that varies a basic swara exercise by reversing, extending or reordering it, building flexibility and control before moving to raga phrases.

Regional song traditions such as boliyan, tappe, suhag and harvest songs, marked by lively rhythm, local dialect and communal performance at seasonal and family occasions.