Be wary: transliterations vary wildly.
term | definition |
---|---|
alap | introductory opening section of performance (unaccompanied, unmetered) |
antara | second phrase of a fixed composition, emphasizing upper notes (Carnatic: anupallavi) |
arohana | ascending notes of raga |
audava | pentatonic |
avrohana | descending notes of raga |
baj | style, esp. instrumental style |
bandish | fixed melodic composition (gat) |
bansuri | bamboo flute |
bayan | left-hand lower-pitched drum of tablas (literally 'left') |
bhajan | Hindu devotional song |
bols | phoenetic syllables for drum strokes |
Carnatic | South Indian |
chiz | fixed composition in khayal |
dadra | 6 beat tal; light classical piece in dadra tala |
dhammar | 14 beat tal; dhrupad vocal piece in dhammar tala |
dhrupad | old, austere vocal style |
dhun | folk song |
drut | fast tempo |
gamaka | ornamentation of notes (embellishment) |
gat | fixed composition section with rhythmic accompaniment |
gayaki | vocal style (literally 'thing') |
gharana | family; clan; musical school; tradition; often named by city (Agra, Indore, Jaipur, ...) |
ghazal | light classical vocal genre based on Persian/Urdu poetry |
guru | teacher |
harmonium | small hand-pumped organ (primarily accompanying vocal performance) |
Hindustani | North Indian |
jati | number of notes in raga ascent/descent (5/6/7: audava/shadava/sampurna) |
jhala | fast performance section with repeated rhythmic figures |
jor | unmetered performance section (following alap) (jod) |
jugalbandi | duet (literally 'entwined twins') |
kaida | theme and limited variations for tabla |
khali | empty beat of tala (wave of hand) |
khayal | modern classical vocal form |
komal | flat |
kriti | Carnatic vocal form |
madhya | medium tempo; middle pitch register |
mandra | low pitch register |
matra | beat (within a tala) |
mridangam | two-headed drum used in Carnatic music |
murki | ornamentation technique |
pakad | musical phrase encapsulating essence of a raga (pakar) |
pakhawaj | two-headed drum used in dhrupad |
Pandit | honorific 'master' (Hindu) |
parampara | tradition (notably: guru/shishya parampara) |
prahar | time of day (3 hour time period) associated with raga |
purvang | raga with vadi in lower tetrachord (Sa to Ma) |
raga | melodic form (rag) |
ragini | female rag in old classification system |
ragmala | light classical form using mixed ragas |
rasa | essence; aesthetic flavor (literally 'juice') |
sam | first beat of tala (typically most important beat) |
sampurna | heptatonic |
samvadi | second most important note of raga (typically, 4th or 5th from vadi) |
sangeet | music or musical celebration (sangita) |
santoor | hammer-struck stringed instrument (hammer dulcimer) |
saptak | pitch register (low/medium/high: mandra/madhya/tara) |
sarangi | bowed string instrument (like violin) |
sarod | plucked fretless string instrument |
sargam | solfege (notes of the scale); also singing of names of notes (Sa Re Ga Ma...) |
shadava | hexatonic |
shenai | double reed instrument |
shishya | student |
shruti | microtonal pitch variation |
shuddha | natural (i.e., not sharp or flat) |
sitar | plucked fretted string instrument |
sthayi | initial phrase of a fixed composition, emphasizing lower notes (asthai; Carnatic: pallavi) |
surbahar | bass sitar |
swara | pitch (of a raga note) |
taan | fast vocal passage technique |
tabla | pair of drums; also the smaller right-hand drum (tuned) of tablas |
tala | rhythmic form (tal, taal); literally 'clap' |
tanpura | drone string instrument |
tara | high pitch register |
thata | melodic classification (thaat) |
theka | basic rhythmic phrase of a tala |
thumri | modern light classical vocal style |
tivra | sharp |
Ustad | honorific 'master' (Moslem) |
uttarang | raga with vadi in upper tetrachord (Pa to Sa) |
vadi | most important note of raga |
veena | plucked fretted string instrument; predecessor of sitar; many variations |
vibhoga | subdivision of tala |
vilambit | slow tempo |
vivadi | forbidden note of raga (dissonant) |
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