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World Map (Physical Features)

The World

Eurasia

India

Sitar (Northern India)

Sitar (playing position)

Sitar (close-up of frets)

Sitar (multiple views)

Vina (or Veena) (Southern India)

Vina (playing position)

Tabla (North Indian)

Tabla (playing position)

Mridangam (South Indian)

Mridangam (playing position)

Pakhavaj (North Indian)

Sarod (North Indian)

Sarod

Sarod (playing position)

Tampura/Tanpura/Tambura

Tampura (playing position)

Santoor

Bansuri

Indian Classical Performance • Improvisation (not pre-composed) • Pitch – based on Raga (scales, but more) • Rhythm – based on Tala (meters, but more) • Process of “unfolding” the Raga - movement from low to high - rhythmic movement from slow to fast

Roles of the Performers • Veena (south) or Sitar (north) – leader/soloist • Tambura – drone (primary pitches) • Tabla (north) or Mridangam (south) – rhythm and secondary soloist • Other secondary soloists (Sarod, etc. ) may be added

Organization of the Improvisation • Alap – opening section, free rhythm (no drums), establishes the Raga • Jor (Jod) – drums enter, regular rhythm (Tala) established • Jahla – fast, virtuosic concluding section • Gat – fixed (pre-composed) tune featured in last section

Two Classical Improvisations • You. Tube - Ravi Shankar on the Dick Cavett Show (4: 46) • You. Tube - Ustad Shahid Parvez (6: 03)

Pitch • • • Emphasis on the melodic (single notes in time) Asthagi – emphasis on “home” Antara – moving upward Abhog – “home” again Octave divides into 22 steps (West uses 12)

RAGA • Like a (western) scale, but…. MORE • Not just pitch, but HOW one moves through them • May include specific melodic patterns • May ascend and descend in different ways • Usually 5 -7 notes, ordered hierarchically

Raga (cont’d) • SA = home (Vadi = “King”) [drone] • MA (4 th) or PA (5 th) = second level (Samvadi = “Minister”)[drone] • Anuvadi Svaras = third level (“Servants” – define the raga) • Vivadi svaras = foreign notes (“Enemies” – not to be used)

Classification of Ragas • • Over 120, 000 ragas (claimed) Better described as a few hundred families Most performers know only a few dozen Associated and controlled by externals - season of year - time of day - mood evoked

Some Classical Improvisations • You. Tube - Ustad Amjad Ali Khan Vol 2 - Live At Pune (47: 02) – Sarod • You. Tube - Live at Pune - Pt Shiv Kumar Sharma and Ustad Zakir Hussein (1: 00) Santur

RHYTHM • Based on Rhythmic cycles (similar to Meter…but much MORE) • Division of time by regular beats (MATRA) • 1 st beat of cycle [most important] (SAM) • One group of beats [measure] (VIBHAG), [not all cycles of equal weight] • Complete cycle (AVARTAN) • Each cycle a unique pattern (TAL or TALA)

SOME DIFFERENT TALA • • Teental = 16 (4 + 4 + 4) [most common] Adachautal = 14 (2+4+4+4) Adi Tal = 8 (4+2+2) Dadra tal = 6 (3 + 3) Ektal = 12 (2+2+2+2) Jhaptal = 10 (2+3+2+3) Rupak Tal = 7 (3+2+2) Sultal = 10 (2+3+2+3)

COUNTING TALA • • • Not all Matra (beats) are equal 1 st beat of cycle [most important] (SAM) Not all Vibhag (measures) are equal Tali (clap) = strong beginning to Vibhag Khali (wave) = weak beginning to Vibhag Remainder of Matra in Vibhag counted on fingers (begin w/ little finger)

COUNTING TEENTAL • CLAP 2 3 4 • WAVE 2 3 4 • CLAP 2 3 4

COUNTING ADI TAL • CLAP 2 3 4 • WAVE 2

COUNTING DADRA TAL • CLAP 2 3 • WAVE 2 3

COUNTING JHAPTAL • CLAP 2 3 • WAVE 2 • CLAP 2 3

COUNTING RUPAK TAL • WAVE 2 3 • CLAP 2

Tabla (playing position)

TABLA “Tabla” (“on the right”) “Duggi” (“on the left”)

Modern Tabla (“bolt tuned”) List price: $ 418 (on sale: $ 313 plus S&H)

Learning & Playing Tabla • Taught by rote (no written music used) • Variety of strokes - area of drum head struck - finger(s) used - manner of stroke • Taught Mnenomically with “Bols” • Ex. : Dha, Din, Ga, Ta, Na, Ti, Ka, Tin, Tu, etc. • You. Tube video

Web & Video Examples of Tala • Website: Basic Technique of Tabla • You. Tube - Zakir Hussain lecture and demonstration of tabla • You. Tube - 1. Tabla Basics - Basic sound 'Na‘ • You. Tube - 2. Tabla Basics - Basic sound 'Tha‘ • You. Tube - 3. Tabla Basics - Basic sound 'Thun' • You. Tube - 4. Tabla Basics - Basic sound 'Thi' • You. Tube - 5. Tabla Basics - Basic sound 'ghe' • You. Tube - Ustad Zakir Hussain -- Vintage Teental Solo

David Courtney Videos • You. Tube - Introduction to the Tabla - Part 1 Bol and Gharana (skip to about 1: 25 to begin) • You. Tube - Introduction to the Tabla - Part 2 Parts and Tuning • You. Tube - Introduction to the Tabla - Part 3 Sitting & Hand Position

Learning Music in India • Master / pupil (one-to-one relationship) • Emphasis on Rote learning / perfection of technique • Master (North = Ustad) • Master (South = Guru) • You. Tube - George Harrison's sitar-lesson with Ravi Shankar • Reflects history of India