WBBSE Madhyamik Vocal Music (Optional Elective) cheat sheet

Swara: seven shuddha swaras are Sa, Re, Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, Ni; five vikrit swaras are komal Re, Ga, Dha, Ni and tivra Ma.

Srutti: 22 microtones per octave in the ancient system; their exact placement is theoretical and differs among texts.

Raga: a melodic framework with at least five notes, a vadi (sonant), samvadi (consonant), and a prescribed ascent (aroha) and descent (avaroha).

Tala: a cyclical rhythmic framework defined by matra (beat), vibhag (section), tali (clap), khali (wave), and sam (first beat).

Notation systems: Paluskar uses Devanagari with symbols for komal/tivra and octave dots; Bhatkhande uses Hindi notation with similar marks but different phrase grouping.

Saptak: mandra (lower), madhya (middle), and tar (upper) octaves; notation marks octave by dots above or below the swara.

Aroha is ascending order of notes; avaroha is descending; pakad is a characteristic phrase that identifies the raga.

Vadi is the most prominent note; samvadi is the second most prominent; anuvadi are other notes; vivadi are dissonant notes avoided in the raga.

Raga Yaman: uses tivra Ma, all other shuddha; vadi Ga, samvadi Ni; aroha Ni Re Ga Ma(tivra) Dha Ni Sa; avaroha Sa Ni Dha Pa Ma(tivra) Ga Re Sa; pakad Ni Re Ga Re Sa.

Raga Bhairav: komal Re and Dha; vadi Dha, samvadi Re; aroha Sa Re(k) Ga Ma Pa Dha(k) Ni Sa; avaroha Sa Ni Dha(k) Pa Ma Ga Re(k) Sa; oscillates on komal Re and Dha.

Raga Bhairavi: komal Re, Ga, Dha, Ni; vadi Ma, samvadi Sa; all notes except Pa may be used in ascent; avaroha uses all seven; often performed at dawn or as concluding raga.

Raga Bageshri: komal Ga and Ni; vadi Ma, samvadi Sa; aroha Sa Ga(k) Ma Dha Ni(k) Sa; avaroha Sa Ni(k) Dha Ma Pa Dha Ma Ga(k) Re Sa; Re and Pa are weak in ascent.

Raga Kafi: komal Ga and Ni; vadi Pa, samvadi Re; aroha Sa Re Ga(k) Ma Pa Dha Ni(k) Sa; avaroha Sa Ni(k) Dha Pa Ma Ga(k) Re Sa; folk-like and thumri-friendly.

Raga Khamaj: komal Ni in ascent, both Ni in descent; vadi Ga, samvadi Ni; aroha Sa Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni(k) Sa; avaroha Sa Ni Dha Pa Ma Ga Re Sa; used in thumri and light classical.

Raga Asavari: komal Ga, Dha, Ni; vadi Dha, samvadi Ga; aroha Sa Re Ma Pa Dha(k) Ni(k) Sa; avaroha Sa Ni(k) Dha(k) Pa Ma Ga(k) Re Sa; Pa often omitted in ascent.

Raga Desh: shuddha notes with komal Ni in descent; vadi Re, samvadi Pa; aroha Sa Re Ma Pa Ni Sa; avaroha Sa Ni Dha Pa Ma Ga Re Sa; associated with monsoon and patriotic songs.

Teental: 16 matras, four vibhags of 4; tali on 1, 5, 13; khali on 9; sam on 1; common in khayal and instrumental.

Jhaptal: 10 matras, vibhags 2+3+2+3; tali on 1, 3, 8; khali on 6; sam on 1.

Ektaal: 12 matras, six vibhags of 2; tali on 1, 5, 9, 11; khali on 3, 7; sam on 1.

Rupak: 7 matras, vibhags 3+2+2; khali on 1 (sam is khali), tali on 4 and 6; unusual because sam is khali.

Dadra: 6 matras, vibhags 3+3; tali on 1, khali on 4; sam on 1; common in light classical and bhajans.

Kaharwa: 8 matras, vibhags 4+4; tali on 1, khali on 5; sam on 1; used in folk and film music.

Tala notation uses symbols: x for sam, 2,3,4 for tali, 0 for khali; divisions marked by vertical bars.

Laya is tempo: vilambit (slow), madhya (medium), drut (fast); layakari is rhythmic variation within a tala.

Laya is the speed of the tala cycle; controlled by the number of matras per minute and the density of bols.

Barabar laya: equal division of matra; dugun: two bols per matra; tigun: three; chaugun: four.

Aad laya: one and a half times the basic tempo; often used in khayal improvisation.

Kuwaad laya: four bols in the space of three matras; derived from 4/3 ratio.

Biaad laya: two bols in the space of three matras; derived from 2/3 ratio.

Tihai: a phrase repeated three times, designed to end on sam; common in instrumental and vocal compositions.

Layakari exercises: recite bols in barabar, dugun, tigun, chaugun while keeping sam fixed; then apply to compositions.

Sam is the first beat and point of resolution; khali is the empty beat (wave); tali is a clap beat; vibhag is a section.

Paluskar notation: uses Devanagari script; shuddha swaras as Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni; komal marked with a horizontal line below, tivra Ma with a vertical line above.

Bhatkhande notation: uses Hindi script; komal swaras marked with a line below, tivra Ma with a line above; octave dots above (tar) and below (mandra) the swara.

In both systems, a horizontal line (--) indicates elongation (meend or held note); a curved line indicates meend (glide).

Bhatkhande notation places the tala cycle at the top with matra numbers and symbols x, 2, 3, 0 for sam, tali, khali.

Paluskar notation often writes compositions in two lines: first line aroha, second avaroha; Bhatkhande writes sthayi and antara separately.

Reading notation: identify the raga from the swara set and pakad; check vadi and samvadi; then confirm tala from the matra count.

Bhatkhande's system is widely used in Hindustani music education today; Paluskar's is older and used in some traditional gharanas.

Both systems notate only the fixed composition; improvisation (alap, taan) is not fully notated but indicated by phrases.

Khayal is a major vocal form with sthayi and antara; usually set in vilambit or madhya laya; allows improvisation.

Dhrupad: oldest surviving classical form; four parts: sthayi, antara, sanchari, abhog; usually in chautal or dhamar; solemn tempo.

Thumri: light classical form in dadra or kaharwa; expressive, often in ragas Kafi, Khamaj, Bhairavi; text is romantic or devotional.

Bhajan: devotional song, often in dadra or kaharwa; simple melody; examples include 'Vaishnav Jan To' (Gandhi's favourite) and 'Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram'.

Chaiti: seasonal song associated with spring, in raga Khamaj or Kafi, usually in kaharwa or dadra.

Hori: seasonal song for Holi, often in raga Khamaj or Bahar, in dadra or kaharwa.

Tappa: fast, rhythmic form in ragas like Kafi and Bhairavi, with rapid taans; originated in Punjab.

Composition notation includes sthayi (first part) and antara (second part); sam is marked at the start of the composition.

Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande (1860–1936): musicologist; systematised Hindustani ragas into ten thatas; wrote 'Hindustani Sangeet Paddhati' and 'Kramik Pustak Malika'.

Vishnu Digambar Paluskar (1872–1931): founded Gandharva Mahavidyalaya (1901); developed a notation system; popularised music education.

Amir Khusrau (1253–1325): credited with introducing sitar and tabla (legendary); composed qawwalis; associated with Delhi Sultanate.

Tansen (c. 1500–1586): court musician of Akbar; credited with ragas Miyan ki Malhar, Miyan ki Todi, Darbari Kanada; popularised dhrupad.

Pandit Ravi Shankar (1920–2012): sitar virtuoso; popularised Indian classical music in the West; composed film scores.

Ustad Bismillah Khan (1916–2006): shehnai maestro; performed at Red Fort on Independence Day; received Bharat Ratna.

Pandit Bhimsen Joshi (1922–2011): khayal and bhajan vocalist; Bharat Ratna; known for raga Miyan ki Malhar and devotional songs.

Kishori Amonkar (1932–2017): vocalist; known for khayal and thumri; emphasised emotional expression over technical display.

Tanpura: drone instrument with four strings; provides reference pitch (Sa) and continuous harmonic background.

Tabla: pair of drums (dayan and bayan); dayan tuned to Sa or Pa, bayan to lower Sa; played with bols like dha, dhin, tin, na, ge, ke.

Harmonium: reed instrument used for accompaniment; provides pitch reference and melodic support.

Sitar: plucked string instrument with frets and sympathetic strings; associated with Ravi Shankar and Vilayat Khan.

Sarangi: bowed string instrument; considered closest to human voice; used in vocal accompaniment.

Voice culture: practice of breath control (pranayama), correct posture, and vocal warm-ups (sargam) to develop range and tone.

Voice types in Hindustani: male (bass, baritone, tenor) and female (alto, soprano); pitch is set according to comfortable Sa.

Kharaj: lower octave practice in voice culture; strengthens chest voice and resonance.