Basic Concepts of Indian Classical Music

Indian scales (Safed / Kali), how they map to Western keys, and how Hindustani tuning differs from Western tuning.

Shuddha, achal, komal, and teevra swars — how notes behave in Indian classical music.

Mandra, Madhya, and Taar saptak and how octaves/registers are handled in ICM.

Why the tanpura drone is essential, and typical string tunings used in performance.

Bhatkhande’s ten thaats and the rules that define them as frameworks for raags.

Definition, structure, and key characteristics of a raag.

Slow, unmetered exploration of the raag before composition.

Different kinds of taans and their role in improvisation.

How raags are associated with different times of the day.

Conceptual differences between a raag and its parent thaat.

Ornamentation techniques that beautify a raag.

Rasa, bhava, and the emotional coloring of raags.

Formal rules that a melodic form must satisfy to be a raag.

Technical details such as aroha, avaroha, vadi, samvadi, and pakad.

How traditional raag names arose from deities, places, tribes, and creators.

How a raag is unfolded during a performance: alaap, bandish, taan, layakari.

Understanding Indian music notation: Bhatkhande, swar markings, and rhythm notation.

Foundational principles governing Indian classical music.

Understanding rhythmic cycles, taali/khali, vibhags, and laya.

Instruments that play taal, types of taals, taali, khali, khand, jaati, and a brief history of rhythm in Hindustani music.

How harmonium, sarangi, violin and others support the main artist in Hindustani music.

When an instrument or tabla becomes the main artist and others provide accompaniment.

Major vocal forms of Hindustani music, their origins, nature-based roots, and the role of poetry and Amir Khusrau.

How Indian classical music uses microtones between the notes for color, expression, and raag identity.

Nom-tom alaap, jod and jhala, slow vs medium alap – different ways raags are unfolded.

What gharanas are, how guru–shishya parampara worked, ganda bandhan, household life with the guru, and rivalries between schools.

What a bandish is, how it is structured, and why it is the anchor for improvisation in khayal.

Using swar syllables musically, and how sargam compares to Western solfège.

Types of oscillations and fast ornaments that give Hindustani music its characteristic expressiveness.

How certain raags are related by scale or mood, and how to understand “families” like Bhairav, Kalyan, Malhar, and Kanada.

How new raags are born, how old ones evolve, and when a melody becomes a recognized raag.

How the vocalist and tabla interact, sawaal–jawaab, and landing on sam.

Major tabla gharanas, their stylistic traits, and what makes tabla playing so rich.

How rhythms are grouped into 3, 4, 5, 7, 9 units and how this relates to Hindustani and Carnatic systems.

Sitar, sarod, bansuri, violin, sarangi, santoor, pakhawaj, tabla, tanpura, harmonium – who plays what and how they sound.

How great accompanists think: listening, risk, restraint, and chemistry with the main artist.

What happens in a Hindustani concert, when people say “wah”, and how to enjoy it fully as a listener.

Thumri, Dadra, Kajri, Chaiti, Hori – where classical grammar meets emotional, folk, and poetic expression.

The Urdu poetic form called Ghazal and how it influenced semi-classical and film music.

How devotional songs use raags, and how classical musicians approach bhajan singing.

Key differences in tuning, melody vs harmony, notation, improvisation, and performance practice.

How singers train: Sa practice, aakar, breath, range, and differences from Western vocal technique.

Why Hindustani music prefers a drone instead of chord changes, and how that shapes the sound.

Daily routine ideas for students: Sa, sargam, raag work, taal, and listening.

What to focus on in alaap, bandish, taan, and taal to get the most from a performance.

Practical tips for beginners to recognize raags by pakad, mood, and time of day.

How Hindi film music borrows from raags and why that helps listeners connect to classical music.

Thinking of raags as a network of related scales, moods, and families to make learning easier.

How to build your own curated playlist journey through Hindustani music.

From Vedic chant to temple and court music, Mughal-era fusion, gharanas, and modern concerts.

How Sufi and Bhakti movements shaped lyrics, forms, and the emotional content of Hindustani music.

A look at the role, challenges, and contributions of women in the Hindustani tradition.