WBBSE Madhyamik Optional Instrumental Music study plan

Define nada (ahata/anahata), svara, shruti, and saptak in your own words, writing one worked example for each of the 22 shrutis' placement logic as used in Hindustani theory

Map the seven shuddha svaras and five vikrit svaras onto a single octave chart, marking komal, tivra, and the three saptaks (mandra, madhya, tar)

Explain the guru-shishya parampara in 150 words, naming how transmission of bandish and gat actually happens orally rather than from books

Convert one simple sargam phrase (e.g., Sa Re Ga Ma) into both Paluskar and Bhatkhande notation, labelling the symbol differences side by side

Recite the full saptak ascending and descending in Vilambit laya with a tanpura drone for 10 minutes daily, logging each session

Write out aroha, avaroha, pakad, vadi, samvadi, and time of day for each of the first four prescribed ragas in your syllabus

Notate one chalan (movement phrase) of each of those ragas in Bhatkhande notation, marking komal/tivra svaras correctly

Identify each raga's thaat and its distinguishing prayog that separates it from its nearest neighbour (e.g., how the ascent of one raga differs from a similar one)

Sing or play each raga's pakad from memory without notation, three repetitions per raga

Build a comparison table of the four ragas listing vadi-samvadi and samay so you can answer viva questions cold

Extend the lakshana table to cover every remaining raga on the prescribed syllabus, including any seasonal or prahar-specific ones

Write the theka of Teental, Jhaptal, Dadra, Keherwa, and Roopak in bols, marking matra numbers, vibhag divisions, tali (X) and khali (O)

Recite each theka aloud in taal with hand claps on tali and a wave on khali, at three layas (vilambit, madhya, drut)

Practise 20 minutes of raga alap on your instrument while a metronome or tabla app holds Teental, keeping sam aligned

List the vibhag structure of each prescribed tala as a fraction (e.g., Teental 4+4+4+4) and mark which vibhags are khali

Draw and label the parts of your chosen instrument (e.g., sitar: tumba, dand, gulu, jawari, pardas, mizrab; tabla: dayan, bayan, gatta, chanti, syahi)

Explain the tuning procedure for your instrument step by step, including reference pitch, string order, and how you check octaves against the tanpura

Demonstrate basic maintenance: cleaning, string changing, jawari or syahi care, humidity and storage, and note what damages the instrument

Perform alaap in one prescribed raga for 8 minutes unaccompanied, then a short jod section, recording both

Describe the correct posture, hand position, and stroke technique for your instrument in 150 words

Define maseetkhani and razakhani gat, stating the laya, structure, and typical tala cycle each is played in

Notate one maseetkhani gat and one razakhani gat in your chosen raga, in Bhatkhande notation with matra divisions marked

Compose and notate one tihai that lands on sam, working out the maths of repetition and rest so the final note falls exactly on sam

Play the vilambit gat with a tabla accompaniment track, then the drut gat, keeping sam steady through both

Practise jhala for 5 minutes at drut laya, focusing on right-hand stroke consistency and evenness of volume

Play a 10-minute vilambit gat presentation with full alaap-jod-jhala sequence and tala accompaniment, without stopping

Practise laya control: play the same gat at vilambit, madhya, and drut, doubling speed cleanly without losing sam

Write out two more tihais in different talas (one in Jhaptal, one in Roopak) and verify each lands on sam

Sight-read a short unseen notation passage in Bhatkhande script and reproduce it on your instrument within three attempts

Recite the theka of any prescribed tala on demand, converting between clap and wave instantly

Write short life sketches (120 words each) of the prescribed musicians, covering their contribution, style, and gharana or tradition

Name the major gharanas relevant to your instrument and state one distinguishing feature of each

Identify three instrument-makers or instrument-development figures on the syllabus and what they are known for

Listen to one recorded performance per prescribed raga and note the artist, raga, tala, and one striking feature of the treatment

Prepare five viva-voce answers aloud: your instrument's tuning, your raga's pakad, a tala's khali, a gharana's hallmark, and one musician's contribution

Run two full mock practicals: alaap, jod, jhala, vilambit gat, drut gat, and a tihai, timed as in the exam

Sight-read three unseen notation passages cold and reproduce each within two attempts

Revise all raga lakshana tables and tala charts from memory, correcting any gaps found in the mock

Rehearse viva answers for every domain, including notation symbols, instrument parts, and musician sketches

Record a final full performance and compare it against your week-4 recording to check improvement in sam steadiness and tone