Classical Indian Music

Question 1

Sitar
- made of?
- construction feature
- sound quality

Answer 1

• made of teak wood
• hole on back is like sound box
• you can bend strings and use frets to get different pitches
• sympathetic vibration

Question 2

Sympathetic Vibration

Answer 2

a phenomenon that occurs when an object vibrates due to the vibrations of another object that is close by and has the same frequency or a harmonic multiple of that frequency

Question 3

Sitar Strokes

Answer 3

Da - struck towards you
Ra -struck away from you
Diri - both together

Question 4

Sitar Strings

Answer 4

• 18 -21 strings
  six main strings for playing
• four are for melody
• two are for drone/ rhythm

Question 5

Sarod
- total strings
- melody strings
- drone strings
- sympathetic strings
- characteristic

Answer 5

Strings: Typically 17-25 strings
Melody Strings: 4-5 strings used for playing the melody
Drone Strings: 1-2 strings
Sympathetic Strings: 9-11 strings
Characteristics: Fretless design

Question 6

Veena/Vina

Answer 6

Type: Stick zither instrument (chordophone)
Variations: Several regional variations exist

Question 7

Stick Zither

Answer 7

has a stick in place of a resonating body and always needs an additional resonator, generally a gourd

Question 8

Tanpura (number of strings and function)

Answer 8

• has four strings and is played as a drone

Question 9

Pakhavaj (structure and sound)

Answer 9

• Two headed, barrel shaped drum
• produces bass and treble sounds

Question 10

Ghatam

Answer 10

an ancient clay pot instrument with a narrow opening

Question 11

Dayan

Answer 11

• the smaller tabla drum in charge of melody and high pitches (right hand drum)
• tuned

Question 12

Baya/Daggah

Answer 12

The large drum played by the left hand for bass sounds
- not tuned

Question 13

What materials can tabla drums be made from?

Answer 13

Metal
Wood
Clay
Goat Skin

Question 14

Zakir Hussein

Answer 14

A renowned tabla virtuoso, known for his mastery of the instrument and contributions to both traditional and contemporary music.

Question 15

Left Hand Tabla (Baya) Sounds

Answer 15

Gi: Open sound produced with a specific striking technique.
Ki: Closed sound, created by a different striking method.

Question 16

Right Hand Sounds (Dayan)

Answer 16

Na: Played on the side, touching the area between the black part and the skin of the drum.
Dab: Another stroke used to create rhythm.

Question 17

Dead sounds

Answer 17

Sounds that do not resonate; these are often considered undesirable.

Question 18

What materials are used for the tuning process of the tabla? What is the technique used?

Answer 18

The use of goat heads (tahina), tuning straps, and wood pegs facilitates the tuning process, which can be time-consuming as the player must strike the skin to adjust the pitch.

Question 19

Caida

Answer 19

Refers to the theme in a performance.

Question 20

Lahra

Answer 20

The name of the melody; tabla often enters on beat 6.

Question 21

Sagram

Answer 21

sulfage names of notes in Indian music (sa, re, ga, ma, pha, aha, ni)

Question 22

Swarwa

Answer 22

seven notes are used, called the swara

Question 23

Similarities with Western Music

Answer 23

1. Like Western music, the first and fifth are particularly important (sa and pa)
2. Like Western music, the the full saptak contains 12 distinct pitches. Each of pitches contain one or two variants, similar to flats/sharps.

Question 24

Saptek

Answer 24

contains 12 distinct pitches (adjacent to octave)

Question 25

Bilawal Scale

Answer 25

Bilawal scale is equivalent to Major Scale

Question 26

Raga

Answer 26

scale with much more going on and various details - Notes are embellished with glissando

Question 27

Glissando

Answer 27

a continuous slide upward or downward between two notes.

Question 28

Aaroh

Answer 28

ascending form in raga

Question 29

Vadi

Answer 29

The primary, tonic pitch in a raga.

Question 30

Samvadi

Answer 30

Often the fourth (Ma) or fifth (Pa) note, serving as a secondary emphasis.

Question 31

Deergha

Answer 31

Notes that are elongated in the raga.

Question 32

Alpa

Answer 32

Weaker notes within the raga.

Question 33

Nyasa

Answer 33

The ending note of a phrase, usually the 1st, 3rd, 4th, or 5th note. Less common ending notes are 2, 6, and 7, though this varies by raga.

Question 34

Taal

Answer 34

refers to rhythm and rhythmic patterns. ex: Teentaal, Ektaal, and Jhaptaal.

Question 35

Tala

Answer 35

similar to meter in western music

Question 36

Bol Banao

Answer 36

This technique involves improvising melodic variations on the composition's established melodic lines.

Question 37

Sam

Answer 37

typically the strongest beat of a rhythmic cycle, and is typically matched with the strongest syllable in the melodic line

Question 38

Gharana

Answer 38

individual schools that play their own ragas.

Question 39

Allaudin Khan

Answer 39

He taught Ravi Shankar. Modified the sarod, an Afghan instrument, for his son.

Question 40

Alla Rakha

Answer 40

tabla master who played with Ravi Shankar

Question 41

form of tabla playing

Answer 41

Alap Jod/Jor Jhala Gat Jhala

Question 42

Alap

Answer 42

slow improvisation - sitar and drone with lots of microtones

Question 43

Jod/ Jhor

Answer 43

rhythmic pulse starts to happen, drone strings are played more often, tempo gradually increases.

Question 44

Jhala

Answer 44

much more rhythmic phrases, faster playing, and use of higher strings.

Question 45

Gat

Answer 45

when tabla joins, states taal (EX: play 16 beats if playing teentaal).