Music Theory for Hindustani Vocal Students
The ideas the ABGMVM theory paper asks about, one short lesson each, in the order a student meets them. Every lesson opens with the answer you would give in an oral exam, then goes deeper level by level.
- Saptak सप्तक A group of seven consecutive notes, Sa to Ni. There are three: mandra (lower), madhya (middle) and taar (higher). From level 1 Full lesson
- Naad नाद A steady, pleasant sound produced by regular vibrations, the kind of sound music can use, is called naad. From level 2 Full lesson
- Swara स्वर A musical sound that is pleasant and melodious is called a swara. From level 1 Full lesson
- Thaat (Mel) थाट (मेल) The parent scale from which a raga draws its notes. From level 1 Full lesson
- Raga राग A distinctive arrangement of swaras and melodic movements that delights the listener is called a raga. From level 1 Full lesson
- Jati जाति Jati states how many notes a raga uses in its ascent and descent: audav (5), shadav (6) or sampurna (7). From level 1 Full lesson
- Vadi and Samvadi वादी-संवादी Vadi: the most important note of a raga, sounded repeatedly and given the most weight. It is called the king of the raga. Samvadi: the second most important note, which supports the vadi, the minister to its king. From level 1 Full lesson
- Aaroha and Avaroha आरोह-अवरोह Aaroha: the ascending order of notes, moving from low to high. Avaroha: the descending order of notes, coming from high to low. From level 1 Full lesson
- Alankar (Palta) अलंकार (पलटा) Systematic patterns of swaras practised in both ascent and descent. They build voice control, accuracy and freedom of movement between notes. From level 1 Full lesson
- Alaap आलाप Alaap is the slow, note-by-note unfolding of a raga, expanding its phrases gradually. From level 2 Full lesson
- Taan तान A taan is a fast run through the notes of a raga. From level 2 Full lesson
- Ornaments स्वर अलंकरण Meend, kan, khatka, murki, gamak and similar techniques that decorate the notes and give singing its grace. From level 3 Full lesson
- Laya लय Laya is tempo: how fast or slow the music is being performed. From level 2 Full lesson
- Taal ताल A taal is a fixed cycle of beats that repeats again and again through a piece of music. From level 1 Full lesson
- Bandish बंदिश A bandish is a composition with words, set in a raga and bound to a taal. Its main parts are the sthayi and antara. From level 2 Full lesson
- Varna वर्ण Varna is the act of singing, the way notes move. There are four varnas: sthayi, arohi, avrohi and sanchari. From level 3 Full lesson
- Swarlipi (Notation) स्वरलिपि Swarlipi is the method of writing music down, with signs for its swaras and its taal. From level 2 Full lesson
- Hindustani and Carnatic हिंदुस्तानी और कर्नाटक संगीत Indian classical music has two main systems: North Indian (Hindustani) and South Indian (Carnatic). From level 3 Full lesson
Learning this with a teacher
These pages will take you a long way on theory. The singing needs a guru — live online classes, one level at a time, with exam preparation built in.