Indian music Consideration Indian music is divided into several categories according to the geometrical area of India. In this article, I will write about Hindustani music. In this page, I am writing the summary of each music style, although each style is actually much more complicated. Specially, Indian music is far from western music, so please be reminded that the description below is very superficial.
Firstly, Indian music scale is very different from western music scale. Indian music scale has seven notes and they are put in equal interval in an octave while western music scale has twelve notes and they are put in equal interval in octave. These seven notes are called "Sa", "Re", "Ga", "Ma", "Pa", "Dha", "Ni", "Sa." These notes correspond to "C", "D", "E", "F", "G", "A", "B", "C." Hindustani music is improvisation music. The tune is not prepared. Players make melodies for instance. However, there are some rules that vocal artists or instrument players must to follow. These rules are called "raga." Raga specifies music scale and its arrangement. For example, it says "use note C D Eb F G Ab B, and do not play Eb after F. Or, use Eb only when melody line is descending." (This rule is not included in actual raga.) Although music is played following these rules, music is always a new one.
Second, rhythm is called tala which means "parm" or "meter" originally. Tala is a continuous musical cycle. In tala, certain music patterns are repeated. The first beat of tala is called "Sam" and all rhythm pattern and melody variations are
resulted at Sam. (Otherwise it can not be cyclic...)
Lastly, about musical instruments and style of ensemble, typical ensemble consists of "Sitar" and "Tabla." One session of playing consists of "alap" and "gat." At alap, scale and characteristics of raga are introduced. Main player shows each note of raga and an atmosphere is created. Usually, it begins with a part which does not have tempo, and moves to a part which has a certain tempo, then alap ends. When the main player plays main theme with certain rhythmic cycle, it denotes the beginning of later part, gat. In this part, tabla player finds basic tala of the given theme and begins to play basic pattern of tala. In gat, variations of melody and theme are resoluted at certain point by main player, and moves to theme again. When main player goes back to the theme, tabla player begins to improvise on variations of rhythm. Both players repeat this kind of interaction and make tempo faster gradually. Typically, the music goes to another tala and music reaches a climax where both players come to their limit of technique. The players interactions, imitation of partners pattern, changing, and so on brings forth emotional changes on the audiences.
The automated composing system uses sitar as musical instrument and tries to imitate the wonderful atmosphere of Indian music. The same low pitch is used and sound of sympathetic strings are added.
Does it sound like Indian music?
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