UPMSP High School Vocal Music key terms

The organised sound produced by regular vibration that is used in music; it is the raw material of singing and playing, and is classified as Ahata (struck, audible) or Anahata (unstruck, inner).

The smallest perceptible interval of pitch that the ear can distinguish. In Hindustani theory twenty-two Shrutis are said to divide the octave, and they are the basis for placing the twelve practical Swaras.

A single musical note of definite pitch. Seven Shuddha swaras (Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni) and five Vikrit swaras (komal Re, Ga, Dha, Ni and tivra Ma) form the twelve notes in common use.

A group of seven swaras spanning an octave. Mandra (lower), Madhya (middle) and Tar (upper) saptaks are named by register, and a performer must move freely across all three.

A modified note: komal (flattened) Re, Ga, Dha and Ni, and tivra (sharpened) Ma. These altered forms distinguish one Thaat and raga from another and must be sung with exact intonation.

The principal or king note of a raga, the swara most frequently emphasised and around which the melodic personality is built. Its correct treatment is essential in alap and in every composition.

The second most important note of a raga, the minister to the Vadi. It usually lies a fourth or fifth away from the Vadi and supports the raga's identity in ascent and descent.

The ascending order of notes used in a raga, written from lower to higher pitch. Some ragas omit notes in ascent, giving the Aroha a different shape from the Avaroha.

The descending order of notes of a raga, written from higher to lower pitch. Ragas such as Bhairav and Todi often show extra notes in descent, so Avaroha must be learned separately from Aroha.

A short characteristic phrase that instantly identifies a raga. It captures the raga's essential movement, often involving the Vadi and Samvadi, and is used both in teaching and in performance as a signature.

A parent scale of seven notes from which ragas are derived, as systematised by V. N. Bhatkhande in ten Thaats. A Thaat is a theoretical scale, not a performing melody like a raga.

A melodic framework with a fixed set of notes, characteristic phrases, a Vadi, and rules of ascent and descent, used as the basis for improvisation and composition. Each raga carries a distinct mood and time of performance.

Written notation of music. Hindustani practice commonly uses the Bhatkhande system, in which swaras are written in Devanagari, with dots and lines marking register and symbols marking tala divisions.

A single beat or count in a rhythmic cycle. Each matra is a unit of time, and compositions are measured in matras; a teental cycle, for example, contains sixteen matras.

A rhythmic cycle of fixed length, divided into sections and marked by claps and waves. It provides the metrical frame within which compositions and improvisation are held.

A bar or section of a tala, formed by grouping its matras. Vibhags are marked by tali (clap) or khali (wave), and their arrangement defines the tala's character.

The first matra of a tala cycle, marked by a clap, on which the cycle repeats. It is the point of resolution where compositions and improvisations come to rest.

A clap marking the start of a vibhag in a tala. The number and placement of talis, shown in notation by the digits 1, 2, 3 and so on, help the performer track position within the cycle.

A wave of the hand marking a vibhag, indicating a relatively empty or unaccented section of the tala. It is shown in notation by the symbol 0 and contrasts with the clapped talis.

Tempo, the speed at which a tala cycle is performed. It is described as vilambit (slow), madhya (medium) or drut (fast), and layakari is the deliberate play of proportion against the basic pulse.

The art of dividing the beat into faster or slower proportional patterns, such as singing two, three, four or eight notes per matra. It demonstrates rhythmic control and is a standard element of khayal performance.

The dominant Hindustani vocal form, consisting of a short composition (cheez) in a raga and tala, followed by improvised expansion through alap, bol-bant, tan and layakari. It is sung in vilambit and drut tempos.

The oldest surviving major Hindustani vocal form, sung in a slow, dignified style with a four-part structure (Sthayi, Antara, Sanchari, Abhog). It uses pakhawaj accompaniment and emphasises precise, extended raga development.

A vocal form using syllables such as nom, tom, dere, na, and dir-dir instead of meaningful words, set in a raga and tala. Its brisk, rhythmic character makes it a popular closing item in vocal recitals.

A devotional song, usually in Hindi or a regional language, expressing religious feeling and often set to a simple raga and tala. It is sung in lighter classical style and is widely used in congregational settings.

The first section of a composition, presenting the opening line and usually the main part of the raga's melodic identity. It is repeated as a refrain, and performers return to it after each improvised passage.

The second section of a composition, which moves into the upper register and introduces further notes of the raga. It follows the Sthayi and is normally sung after it in performance.

A systematic exercise of swara patterns, such as ascending and descending sequences in groups of two, three or four notes, used to train voice, intonation and finger-like fluency of the voice across the saptak.

A practice exercise in which a note pattern is repeated at successively higher or lower starting pitches, developing range and accuracy. Paltas are a standard part of daily riyaz before singing compositions.

Singing with the names of the swaras (Sa, Re, Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, Ni) rather than with words. It is used in exercises, in improvisation and in teaching a melody before the text is added.

A didactic composition that embeds the identifying features of a raga, such as its Aroha, Avaroha, Vadi, Samvadi and Pakad, into the song text itself, so that singing it teaches the raga's grammar.

A fast, flowing melodic passage sung on a vowel or on syllables such as a, nom or dere, moving rapidly through the notes of the raga. Tans are a principal vehicle of virtuosity in khayal.

Stringed instruments, in which sound is produced by vibrating strings. The group includes plucked instruments such as sitar, sarod and tanpura, and bowed instruments such as sarangi and violin.

Wind instruments, in which sound is produced by vibrating air in a tube. Examples include bansuri, shehnai, shenai-type oboes and harmonium, and the group is one of the four classical divisions of instruments.

A long-necked plucked drone instrument with four strings, tuned to Sa and Pa (or Ma), providing a continuous reference pitch. Its steady overtones support the singer's intonation throughout a performance.

A transverse bamboo flute with finger holes, used for both classical and light music. It is a Sushir Vadya and is prized for its smooth, continuous melodic line and its ability to imitate vocal phrasing.

A barrel-shaped, two-headed drum played with the hands, the standard percussion instrument for dhrupad. Its deep, resonant sound suits the slow, weighty character of the dhrupad style.

Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande (1860-1936), a musicologist who systematised Hindustani music into ten Thaats, wrote the Hindustani Sangeet Paddhati, and introduced a widely used notation system for teaching ragas and compositions.

A singer and educator (1872-1931) who revived Hindustani music through public teaching, founded the Gandharva Mahavidyalaya in Lahore and later Bombay, and created a notation system and textbooks for students.

Regular, disciplined daily practice of voice, swara and tala, regarded as the foundation of a musician's progress. It includes alankar, palta, sargam and the study of compositions in many ragas.

The composed song text of a khayal, set to a raga and tala and divided into Sthayi and Antara. The performer states the cheez and then improvises around it, returning to it as a refrain.