Objective:
Technical terms of any branch of learning are very important to have a clear understanding of the subject. In this unit some of the basic terms of Carnatic music are enumerated to proceed further deep into the theoretical aspects of music.
«Samvak sham in Sangham" is the aphorism,
That which is well composed is termed as Sangitam. In other words, Sangham is melodious and pleasant music. Various factors like swarks, Stuti, raga pheases timing of the notes, modulation of the notes, the tune, text and tempo ete. contribute to the melody of Sangitam. The word "Music" is derived from the Latin origin which means "to muse" (to please) which connotes the same a Sangitam. Music is the langunge of emotions. It is one of the fine arts and the finest of fine arts. Indian musie evolved from Samaveda and it is also known as Gandharva veda.
2. Touryatrikam:
According to Bharata's Natya Sastra the triple confluence of Vocal music (Gita), Instrumental music (Vādyam) and Dance music (Nrityam) constitute Sangitam.
These three are termed as "Touryatrikam".
The sloka states-"Gitam vādvam tathā nrityam trayam sangeeta muchyate".
Though these three branches are inter- dependent, in the medieval period, dance was dealt with as a separate branch in the treatises and music consisted of only Gita and Vadyam.
3. Nada:
Any musical sound with a regular frequency is termed as "Nada". The under mentioned sloka gives the etymological meaning of Nada. "na karam präNa namanam dakāram anals viduhu" . In Sanskrit the letter "Na' means Präna ie., Life force and "Da" means Agni which is fire, a form of Energy. The combination of these two elements emanates as Sound energy.
The Nada
originating from the human body is five fold in its nature.
1.Through the naval part: as Ati Sukshma (very subtle)
2. Through the heart: as Sukshma (subtle)
3. Through the voice box: as Pushta (strong)
4. Through the head: as Apushta (soft)
5. Through the nose: as Kritrima (artificial)
The great vaggeyakāra and one of the Trinity of Carnatic music, Sadguru Tyagaraja Swamy elucidates wonderfully the above two aspects of Präna and Anala in his Krtis "Mökshamu galada" and "Sobhillu Saptaswara".
All the treatise writers of music broadly bifurcate Nada into two types.
1. "Ähata" (which is struck i.e. Nada that is produced in the human body and by the instruments) and 2. "Anahata" (which cannot be heard by the human ear.)
According to the scriptures, Anähata Nada is practiced by sages and is experienced in their hearts. It is a divine inner feeling.
• In the human body is termed as - Sariraja

• With nails on stringed instruments as- Nakhaja

• Bowed instruments as- Dhanurja

• Wind instruments as- Vayuja

• Percussion instruments as- Charmaja

• Metal instruments as- Lohaja

Nada is established as all pervading (Nädätmakam Jagat) and if one practices it in a correct way, he or she evolves into a supreme human being and becomes one with the Brahman.
«Srayanta iti Sruti"
'Sru' means 'to hear'. The minimum audible musical sound or the smallest difference of pitch perceived by the musically trained ear is called Sruti. In a broad sense, Sruti means a quarter tone or a semi tone which is a considerable magnitude of musical quantity.
The first and foremost of the treatise writers
sage Bharata in his magnum opus "Natya Sastra" professes that in an octave there are 22 Srutis. According to Western system of music, 12 note gamut or an octave is equally distributed in 1200 cents. It is called an equally tempered scale. But Carnatic music is sung with Srutis interwoven with swaras, not all evenly distributed, but with 3 different values which are explained in the coming chapters. Sruti is compared to Mother and laya to Father. "Srutirmata layah
pita"
5. Swara:
"Swato ranjayati srötru chittam su swara muchvate " Swara is a musical n and has a natural instinct to please the minds of the listeners by itself. This because of the innate upper partials or harmonics in it. These harmonics called Swayambhu swaras.
6. Saptaswarās:
Similar to the 7 notes Do, Re, Mi, Fa, So, La, Ti of Western music, in Indian music, there are 7 notes in an octave. The details are furnished down.
Sadjam- Born out of six places of the mouth- Sa- S
Rishabam- Strong like a bull (vrishaba)- Ri- R
Gandharam- Bliss and fineness- Ga- G
Madhyamam- Middle Note- Ma- M
Panchamam- Fifth note- Pa- P
Dhaivatam- Valorous- Dha- D
Nishadam- Ultimate note- Ni- N
These Sapta swaras are observed by the genius of the man sounding as those produced by the birds and animals when they are in ecstasy .They are as follows-
Shadjam to Peacock
Rishabam to Cow
Gandharam to Goat Madhyamam to Heron
Panchamam to Cuckoo
Dhaivam to Horse
Nishadam to Elephant
The first harmonic with shadiam is Tara Sthayi Shadjam - S. The second harmonic is panchama - P and The third harmonic is (Suddha) Madhyama -
M and so on.
7. Dwadasa Swarântargata Sthānãs:
Sa and Pa are called Achala Swaras (Constant) or Natural notes. The other 5 notes Ri, Ga, Ma, Dha and Ni have 2 varieties each. Thereby the Swarasthānās become 12 in number. These are designated as Dwädasa Swarāntargata sthānās
In Carnatic music, they are named as
Shajam
Sudda Rishaba
Chatusruti Rishaba
Sadharana Gandhara
Antara Gandhara
Suddha Madhyama
Prati Madhyama
Panchama
Suddha Dhaivata
Chatusruti Dhaivata
Kaisaki Nishada
Kakali Nishada
8. Shodasa Swaranâmäs:
In Carnatic Music four of the above Swarasthanas are renamed by a great treatise writer (Lakshanäkära) Venkatamakhi, of 17 century. Thus, the 12 Swarasthānas transform into 16. These four new swarasthanas happen to be Vivadi in nature. In his work "Caturdandi Prakasika", Venkatamakhi gives the nomenclature as follows.
Shajam
Sudda Rishaba
Chatusruti Rishaba- Suddha Gandhara
Sadharana Gandhara- ShatSruti Rishaba
Antara Gandhara
Suddha Madhyama
Prati Madhyama
Panchama
Suddha Dhaivata
Chatusruti Dhaivata- Suddha Nishada
Kaisaki Nishada- ShatSruti Dhaivata
Kakali Nishada
These 16 variations of the 7 notes are the basic elements to create the grand scheme of 72 Melakarts, which are the root ragas of Carnatic Music. Any räga in the arena of music comes certainly under the ambit of these 72 Melakartās.
9. Arohana and Avaröhana :
A series of notes in the ascending order is Arohana. Ex: SRGM, GPN, RMD, GG MM DD NN. That in descending order is Avaröhana. Ex: $DMG, NPGS, PP MM GG RR. A very brief sketch of the Raga can be articulated through its Àrohana and Avarohana put together. This is otherwise termed as Mürchana (that which mesmerizes) of that particular Raga.
Ex: 1. Arohana and Avarohana of raga Malahari are
SRMPDS
SDPMGRS
Ex: 2. Arohana and Avarohana of raga Mohana are
Aröhana: SRGPD$
Avarohana: $DPGRS
10. Sthayi :
Increasing level of musical sound from one frequency to double of it is called Sthayi or Octave. For ex: Sthayi is the range between lower shadjam to its higher shadjam. Octaves are mainly classified under five heads. They are
1.Madhya Sthayi (Middle octave)
2.Tara Schayi (Higher octave)
3.Ati Tara Sthayi (Next higher octave)
4. Mandra Sthayi (Lower octave)
5, Anu Mandra Sthayi (Next lower octave)
Sthayi mnemonics:
• Middle octave the notes are written without any change.
• One dot above the note for TaraSthayi (Next higher octave).
• Two dots above the note for Ati Tara Sthayi (Still higher octave).
• One dot under the note for Mandra Sthayi.
• Two dots under the note for Anumandra Sthayi.
shadjam of the middle octave is chosen as the convenient pitch for the singer.
An ordinary singer can have a range of two and half octaves. In instruments we can observe 3 to7 octaves.
11. Dhätu and Matu:
"Vangmaturuchyate geyam dhaturityabhidheeyate " Vak or the words means Matu. Goyam or the swara part is called Dhatu. The swara setting or the tune of a composition is called Dhatu while the lyrical content of a composition is called Matu.
Abhyāsa Gana comprises of Swara exercises ranging from Sara]iswaras to Alankaras. Till Alankarās the student is introduced with only Swaram or Dhätu.
Sahitva or the Matu is introduced for the first time to the student through a composition called Gita. This musical form gives a brief presentation of the Raga with its Matu as the praise of a deity. Usually in a Gita, for every swara letter of the Dhatu, there is a corresponding sahitya akshara of the Mätu and here and there long notes with akara ikarams.
Ex: In the Gita 'Sri Gamanadha':
MPD$SR ... Dhatu
Sri Gananadha... Matu
"Takarasshankara prokto lakaro sshakti ruchyate"
The word • Tala' is taken from the first letters of the words Tandava and Lasya that represent the cosmic dance of Lord Shiva and his consort Pärvati.
Technically speaking, Tala is a time-scale to measure the melodic framework.
It's the regulating factor in a musical composition. Its controlled mainly by ten factors called 'Tala Dasa Pranas'. Tala can be shown by beats and hand gestures The word • Tala' is taken from the first letters of the words tallavd all Lidsy a that represent the cosmic dance of Lord Shiva and his consort Pärvati.
Technically speaking, Tala is a time-scale to measure the melodic framework.
It's the regulating factor in a musical composition. Its controlled mainly by ten factors called 'Tala Dasa Prânãs'. Tala can be shown by beats and hand gestures in vocal music. The contemporary
Talas are seven by name "Suladi Sapta Talas' which transform into 35 by 'Jati' variation and thereafter into 175 by Gatiin vocal music. Talas can be executed with the help of divisions by name Angas (Laghu, Dhruta, Anudruta, Guru, Pluta and Kakapädam) with the subdivisions called Kriyas.
13. Avarta:
The completion of one cycle of Tala is called an "Avarta". For ex:
One Avarta of Adi Tala is execution of one Caturasra Jati laghu and two drutams that is 1, 0 O
14. Akshara kala:
The time taken to pronounce a single note / a single syllable of sahitya is called akshara kala in music. In a Tala meter / Metronome, according to the tempo / kala pramana of the composition, the time unit for the akshara kala is fixed.
15. Prathama, Dwitiya and Tritiya kala:
These are the terms that indicate the relative degree of speed of the note Camatic music. If there is one note or one akshara for one unit of time in metronome (say a second) it is called Prathama Kala.
Dwitiya Kala is
2 notes or aksharas per one unit of time
Tritiya Kala is ... 4 notes or aksharas per one unit of time and so on.
Thus doubling of the notes denotes the Kalas. The symbolic representation is to put horizontal lines over or below a note or a group of notes as shown below.
Prathama kala: SRGMPDNS
Dwitiya kala: SRGMPDN$
Tritya kala: SRGMPDNS
16. Talangãs:
A Tala is divided into different parts for easy reckoning. They are called Angas.
Six angas are prescribed for Talas out of which only first three are used in the popular Suladi Sapta Talas. They are
Anudruta- U- One beat
Druta- O- One beat + waving out of the hand
Laghu- |- One beat + counting fingers
Guru- 8- Counting two laghus with beat
Pluta- I- Counting 3 laghus with beat
Kakapada- 8+ - Counting 4 laghus without beat