Basics of Carnatic Music

Terminology of Carnatic music

1) Swaram = notations ( like alphabets for a language)

2) Kaalam = Tempo ( the speed at which the song occurs)

3) Taalam = hand movement to control the speed

4) Raagam = a subset of swarams. Different subsets gets different melodies.

5) Arohana & Avarohana = The ascending and descending scales ( i.e. the notations in ascending order & descending order respectively)

5) Shruthi = Pitch at which your voice is convenient to sing a melody.

SWARAM

Swara is a musical note. The names of the seven notes and the syllables used for singing them in Indian Music are given below:

Shadjam (s) sa - స

Rishabham (r) Ri - రి

Gandharam (g) Ga - గ

Madhyamam (m) Ma - మ

Panchamam (p) Pa - ప

Dhaivatham (d) Da - ద

Nishadam (n) Ni - ని

KALAM

Musical speed or tempo is known as Kalam. It is the degree of movement or pace of musical composition. There are four degrees of musical speed.

1^st Kalam - One notes are sung to one unit of time (beat)

2^nd Kalam - Two notes are sung to one unit of time (beat)

3^rd Kalam - Four notes are sung to one unit of time (beat)

4^th Kalam - Eight notes are sung to one unit of time (beat)

TAALAM

• Laghu
• Dhrutam

RAAGAM

The making of a melody using swaras.

Ex: Mohana Raagam - its subset of notations are Arohana:s r g p d S (స రి గ ప ద స` )

Avarohana: S d p g r s (స` ద ప గ రి స)

SHRUTHI

Very important to preserve the same tone through out a song. the pitches vary from person to person.

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