| 1 |
Vilambit |
Slow in tempo |
| 2 |
Drut |
Fast in tempo |
| 3 |
Lay |
Speed of a composition |
| 4 |
Madhya |
Medium in tempo |
| 5 |
Khayal |
The thoughtful process of exposing a raag. |
| 6 |
Bandish |
A composition in Raga music. This term is broadly used for any type of composition in Hindustani Art Music - even rhythmic compositions are refereed as 'Bandish'. |
| 7 |
Taal |
A rhythm cycle. |
| 8 |
Khaali |
Opposite of a taali (Clap) shown by a gesture of clapping with one hand turned upside down. |
| 9 |
Sur |
A note. Usually one of the 12 notes outlined in North Indian Classical Music. |
| 10 |
Sargam Geet |
A composition (bandish) with just notes in it. This type of composition doesnt use any words just the notes of a specific raag to which it is set. |
| 11 |
Shruti |
A micro variation that a note allowed to take. |
| 12 |
Komal |
A lower frequency note. |
| 13 |
Teevra |
A note that is been sharpened. In Indian music, only forth note, i.e. madhyam is Teevra. |
| 14 |
Tarana |
A composition consisting of just syllables instead of words. |
| 15 |
Trivat or Tirvat |
A composition consisting of any three of the following Pakhavaj/Tabla Bol-s, Sargam, Bandish, Tarana. |
| 16 |
Chaturang |
A composition consisting of Tarana, Bandish, Sargam, Pakhavaj/Tabla bols. |
| 17 |
Avartan |
A complete cycle, typically of a Taal, also refers to a cycle of rhythmic progression in a song. |
| 18 |
Bol |
Words or syllables implied in Taal. This term also means syllables of instruments - it may be percussion, string or wind instruments or the syllables in a song. |
| 19 |
Aaroha |
The systematic ascent of raag notes. One of the four 'Varna' i.e. movements of notes, literary meaning 'going up'. |
| 20 |
Avaroha |
The systematic decent of Raag notes. It is one of the four movements of notes, meaning 'coming down'. |
| 21 |
Pakad |
A special feature (note combination) that distinguishes the raag. |
| 22 |
Prahar |
Time of the day (usually a three hour period in which a raag is performed) |
| 23 |
Thaat |
Synonym of Mela. One of the categories a Raag can be classified based on the presence of specific notes. |
| 24 |
Lakshan Geet |
A bandish (composition) that explains the structure of a raag. |
| 25 |
Baamayna Bandish |
A bandish in which the syllables of a bandish are same as the notation of the bandish. For eg. Suraso Rang, the notation is S R S R G. |
| 26 |
Alaap |
A slow, methodical progression of notes in the raag. |
| 27 |
Bol Alaap |
Alaap done with a playful use of the words in a Bandish, with weaving them in rhythmic cross patterning. |
| 28 |
Bol Taan |
An taan done with the help of the words of a bandish. |
| 29 |
Saadra |
A composition set to slow to medium Jhaptaal. |
| 30 |
Kampan |
Shaking of a note. |
| 31 |
Andolan |
Swinging of a note. |
| 32 |
Aaghaat |
Striking of a note/bol. |
| 33 |
Kan |
A micro note. |
| 34 |
Alankaar |
Specific melodic presentation in succession in which a pattern is followed. |
| 35 |
Gamak |
Its a way of ornamenting notes. There are fifteen types of Gamaks. |
| 36 |
Murki |
Short taan of three to four notes sung very fast. |
| 37 |
Khatkaa |
Two or more notes sung with a jerk. |
| 38 |
Meend |
Stretching or lenthening the sound from one note to another. |
| 39 |
Raagmaala |
A bandish or a composition set to many different raags one after the other. |
| 40 |
Raagsagar |
A raagmala in which the raag used are disclosed within the words of the bandish. |
| 41 |
Naad |
A musical sound |
| 42 |
Swar |
A note. Usually one of the 12 notes outlined in North Indian Classical Music.
This term also refers to the lingual vowel. |
| 43 |
Theka |
Theka is the expressive way of playing Taal on percussion instruments. It has a significance of being first Bandish or composition of a Taal. Theka gives the basic time unit to the rendition of a song. |
| 44 |
Kism |
Variations of theka without changing the taal structure |
| 45 |
Kaida or Kayda |
A well defined, structured and expandable composition replete with syllables and phrases of Tabla. |
| 46 |
Mukhda |
Literally meaning face, means the first line of a bandish or a taal composition |
| 47 |
Tihaai |
A structured set of notes or bols which repeats three times at usually the same interval and ends on the sum |
| 48 |
Amsha |
This means the key-note. |
| 49 |
Graha |
The core meaning of the word Graha is to take or grapple or join with. |
| 50 |
Graha in Taal |
Graha means commencing of a song or rhythmic design on a particular beat. |
