A

aadhaara shadja aadi swaras

The basic key note or the basic swara, the fundamental musical note up on which a raga or a particular combination of swara is built. The most ancient swaras known in the indian music. the swaras are udaatta, anudaatta and svarita of the vedic hymns. panini refers to these 3 notes as the aadi swaras. The richest part of music where a musician reveals his musical capabilities. This section elaborates a raga through improvisation in such a way that raga's form and spirit are revealed, while observing all the laws that govern the raga. In Hindustani music, the word used is alap. There are changes in the treatment as well in Hindustani A musician in charge of a court or a state / court musician.

aalaapana

aasthana vidwan abhyaasa

Constant practice of music, practice a raga so that its Also called saadhana

achala swaras These are notes / swaras that do not have varieties. These notes do not have sharps or flats. achyuta shadja The tonic note - shadja. the chyuta shadja is slightly lower in frequency when compared to the tonic shadja. Akaara saadhakam Training in music using the intonation, aa. It often serves as the basic vocal exercises in indian music (south Indian & North Indian). In this mode name of swaras like sa , ri, ga etc.. are not pronounced instead singing is done using the sound aaa..'

aksharakaala This is a unit of time in music. Mostly used to connote taala in music. It is relative and not an absolute measure. alankaara alap These are scale exercises that shows the seven principal talas and their varients the introductory, non-metrical part of a performance in which the raga is slowly and systematically unfolded; it elaborates the musical ideas on the melodic axis, in a Raga. Carnatic Aalaapana.

anakshara aalaapana anuloma

Also see Akaara Saadhakam . This is the aalaapana, when no words, syllables or mnemonics are used. A term to signify the singing or performing a theme in three degrees of speed, while keeping the basic tala constant. the kriti is thus first sung once at its basic speed, then twice at double its speed and at double that or four times the basic speed in the third stage. The second section of a kriti, keerthana, varna , padam in carnatic music. All ragas have two key or most important swaras called vadi & samvadi, while the other swaras are neither. These are called anuvadi swaras. a swara having a pitch with poor qualities. It is further explained as a note offkey. An improperly made note Means singing to one single note. Vedic hymns use this methods Arohana is the ascending sequence of a series of notes based on pitch. In Hindustani aroha A song consisting of eight sections and each section being sung to the same music. Is the poetry and composition by jayadeva in the gita govindam consisting of 26 ashtapadis. ( eight verses). Is the descending scale of notes of a raga. In Hindustani avaroha.

anupallavi anuvadi

apaswara

archika arohana

ashtakam

ashtapadi

avarohana B

bani

the characteristic style of singing or performing associated with a particular school, singer or performer. This is applicable to instrumental performance and vocal performance as well. Is the emotional aspect that is displayed as part of achieving perfection while rendering a raga, without which a raga is a mere scale.

bhaava

bhagavata mela bhagavatar

Is a form of devotional dance and song performances in the presence of temple deities during the temple festivals. The name given to performers of kathakalakshepam or religious discourses to the accompaniment of music. Usually used as a synonym to a traditional singer Hindu devotional poem set to music The feeling of devotion to God

bhajan bhakthi rasa C

chakra

The chakra is the basic unit around which the 72 melakarta raagas are arranged. There are 12 chakras or sections, with each chakra comprising within it 6 mela ragas. Charanam is the third part (in most case, the concluding part) of any composition or kriti in the carnatic music tradition. Is a unit of time equal in duration to half of an anudrutam. The most ancient swaras which known in the indian music. The swaras are udaatta, anudaatta and svarita of the vedic hymns. panini refers to these 3 notes as the aadi swaras. Are the 14 murchchanas or scales that are born out of what is known as grama bheda. Is a musical form which had all the 4 dhatus or sections - udgraha, melapaba, dhruva and abhoga. Is a kind of taan which uses four notes in a single cluster as it moves. Fourth degree of speed as far as taala is concerned. The fourth stage of the main part or the body of a raga aalaapana. murchchana prastara or sanchaara in quick tempo is the main feature of this

charanam

chaturbhaaga chaturdandi

chaturdasa murchchanas chaturdhatu prabandha chaturtha jati chaturtha kala chaturtha raga vardhani

fourth part of the aalaapana. chaturtha vidari The concluding part of that section of the raga aalaapana known as chaturtha raga vardhani. Devotional music, consisting of four padas. Slow tempo. a chauka kaala kriti is one in slow speed. The style of singing raga aalaapana in slow tempo. Are a series of set swaras - geometires usually sung after the anupallavi and the charanam in a composition.

chatushpadi chauka kaalam chaukam chitta swara

dasavidha gamaka datu prayoga

Are 10 kinds of gamakas - avaroha, dhalu, sphuritha, kampitha, ahata, pratyahatha, tripuchcha, andola, murchchana. A musical phrase containing datu swaras. a raga admits of only those datu swara prayogas which reveal and establish its melodic individuality. A note removed from another note by some steps. swara exercises involving datu swaras. the practice of these exercises develops swarajnanam. The technical term signifying the music of a composition as distinguished from the term 'maatu', which signifies the sahitya of the composition..

datu swara datu swara varisai dhatu

dheergha(long) a long note lasting atleast two units of time as opposed to a swara which lasts only one unit beat of time. dhruva A kind of musical composition referred to by bharatha in his natya sastra, used in dramas. quick tempo.

dhurita kaalam

dhvani dindi divya prabandham divyanaama kirtana divyanaama sankirtanam drisya gaanam

literally, means sound. a marathi musical form sung in kathakalakshepams. the 4000 verses of slokas composed by vaishnava saints in tamil.

literally, a song containing the names of the lord & his praises and intended for being sung in bhajans. practice of divyanaama kirtanaas.

singing from sight. musical passages given in notation.

dvaadasa mudra the 12 kinds of mudras figuring in musical compositions. mudras are names introduced into the sahitya of a musical composition to signify facts like its composer, raga, tala, type, etc., dvidhatu prabhanda dvimudrakaara dvitiya ragavardhani a musical composition which has 2 sections; udgraaha nd dhruva. jayadeva's ashtapadi are examples. a composer who has used two kinds of mudras in his compositions. the second section of the main part of the body of the raga aalaapana. the sanchaaras in this section are confined to the madhya sthayi, with occasssional flights in the other octaves. the sanchaaras in this section in particular reveal the individuality, creative talents and imaginative skill of the performer.

ekakaala

one of the 10 elements of musical time; wherein for each taala akshara or count, there is only one kaala. a composer who has used only one type of vaggeyakaara mudra in his compositions.

ekamudrakaara

erra jaaru G

ascending glide.

gaana gita

compositions which are the contribution of composers as opposed to folk songs or songs of unknown authorship.

gaana krama is the style of singing various movements in a composition. the gitam is sung right through without repeating any line. in the kriti each sangati is sung twice. the anupallavi is sung after the pallavi and the charanam follows the anupallavi. gaana sastra gamak / gamaka the science of music. any ornament; more specifically referred to as a heavy shake on a single tone; A tonal embellishment, a grace. A note with a touch of the preceding or the succeeding note. It gives a vibratory effect.

gamaka swara a graced note, the opposite of suddha swara or plainly uttered note. gamana gita gandharva gitaa ghana raaga a march tune. the music that developed spontaneously (gandharva- heavenly singers mentioned frequently in the indian puranas and mythologies). a raga whose melodic individuality is easily revealed through tana style of exposition. nata, gaula, arabhi, varali and sri are examples. a musical composition learnt by students after a course in the preliminary swara exercises and alankaaras..

gitam

hasya rasa hunkaara J

one of the nava rasas - the rasa of mirth or laughter. a vareity of sanchari alankaara.

janaka raaga janaka-janya paddhati janta swara janya raaga jathi swaram

literally, a parent raaga. Also called melakartha. the system of classification of raagas into parent raagas and derivative raagas. double notes. a raaga born or derived from a janaka or parent raaga. a composition with the divisions pallavi, anupallavi and charanam but without a sahitya. a song of an romatic nature. the life note of a raaga. it is also called raaga chhaya swara.

javali jiva swara K

kaaku

a song of an erotic nature.

kaavadi chindu a type of tamil folk song. kachcheri kalakshepam kampam the popular term for a music concert. a discourse on a sacred theme to the accompaniment of music. a type of gamaka.

kampita swara the note which is rendered with a shake. keerthana a simpler form of musical composition. words are given more importance than the musical content. 'soft'; flat, a note lowered by a semitone

komal

krama krama sanchaara kriti

regular (as opposed to vakra). phrases which confirm to the arohana-avarohana gati of the raga.

said to have evolved from the keerthana where the musical value is higher than the keerthana. it is more technical than keerthana.

lakshana lakshana gita

the science or grammar with respect to raaga, taala or musical form. is concerned with the enumeration of the lakshana of the raaga in the sahitya.

lakshya gita a geetham that is simple in tune and other technical aspects. it is usually meant for beginners. this is an exercise for beginners to correlate sahitya to swara passages and sing. laya rhythm or tempo; The tempo is regulated. The duration of rest between two strokes of 'matra' is laya.

madakku

repetition of a word or a line in a musical composition, each time with a different meaning. medium speed or moderate tempo. a group or collection. a song of salutation, sacred that is sung at the end of a performance. creative music.

madhyama kaala mandalam mangalam manodharma sangita

marga melakarta

'path, way'; the ancient musical system a parent scale from which many janya raagas are derived. Also called janaka. Mixed. When a raga is mixed with another or more of other ragas it is called a Mishra raga. the final or the concluding part of a raaga aalaapana. one of the ten gamakas.

mishra

muktaayi murchchana N

nadopaasaka nama sankirtanam namita natya gaana navagraha kirtanas navarasas

one who meditates on absolute music or nada. sacred music involving the repeated recital of god's name.

one of the gamakas - singing a part of raaga aalaapana in a slender tone. music used in dances. songs on planets for the seven days of the week.

the nine kinds of feelings or emotions.

navaratri kirtanas nine kirtanas composed, intended for singing during the navarathri festival. navavarna kirtanas naya nirgit the 9 compositions composed by muthuswamy dikshitar on kamalamba (tiruvarur temple) soft a composition without words. eg., jatiswaram.

nokku P

one of the 15 classical gamakas.

pallavi prayoga putra R

the opening part of a kirtana. a technique of expression in raaga. 'son'; offspring of a raga and ragini, used in old raga classification systems

ragamala

'garland of ragas'; a set of paintings depicting the raga- ragini images described in dhyanas; also an old genre a pervading emotional flavour or aesthetic sentiment; Aesthetic content or emotional appeal. a music lover.

rasa

rasika S

sampoornajati a raaga that has all the seven notes. sanchaara exploration of the terrain of a raaga (with a particular gait, geometry, progression). music disciple. intonation; the twenty-two divisions of the ancient Indian octave; microtone; In Sanskrit, 'Shruti' means that which is heard. Shruti is a microtonal interval less than a semitone and is determined chiefly through a fine auditory sensibility. a technique of modal shift of the tonic note.

sangeeth shishya shruti

swara bheda

swara prasthaara T

an exercise of phrases of notes in various rhythms and layas.

tala tillaana V

'time measurement'; the rhythmic/metric system; a metric type See tarana

vaadi

the sonant or strongest note which has a consonant relatiofiship of a perfect fourth or fifth with the samvadi ; Dominant note of a raga. any musical instrument. a composer of music. 'crooked'; referring to a scale or pattern that follows a curved, zigzag path any stringed instrument extension, expansion'; Elaboration and lmpmvisation upon the notes, for development of melodic ideas in music ; see badhat a swara which is dissonant to the scale of a raaga. choral singing

vaadya vaggeyakaara vakra veena / vina vistar

vivadi swara vrinda gaana