Carnatic music made simple - 5 basic terms every beginner in Carnatic Music should know!
When coming across the term “Carnatic music” one might imagine an intricately designed pattern of notes, a grand performance with musicians having years of experience and practice, commanding the attention of the audience. Or maybe you think of the complicated yet intricate Ragas; evoking various emotions and creating a unique experience.
To a beginner, Carnatic music tends to appear both incredibly awesome and also incredibly
complicated at the same time.
It can be easy to get lost in all the new terms, concepts, and nuances. One might even be
discouraged to pursue this journey in the first place!
But here's the thing: music is for everyone. And we are here to make this journey a little bit
easier for you. Let's get started!!
- Shruthi - In simple terms; Shruthi is the pitch, or the reference point for your notes. One can imagine it as the Cricket Pitch from where the ball (notes) bounces. It is important to find the right pitch which feels comfortable for YOU to sing in.
- Swara - Swara refers to the notes in Carnatic Music. The notes are; Shadjam, Rishabham, Gandharam, Madhyamam, Panchamam, Daivatam, Nishadam. It is also known as Sa, RI, GA, Ma, Pa, Da, Ni.
- Swarasthanas - Remember the 7 notes? Now some of these notes have variations within them. You can think of them as different flavors of the same basic ingredient. Except Shadjam and Panchamam, known as Achala Swaras! Those two notes are like coconuts (you don't have different types of coconuts) but you DO have different kinds of mangoes; the rest of the notes are like that (Vikriti Swaras). In total, there are twelve unique sounds that can be produced in Carnatic Music. These are the 12 Swarasthanas. (We’ll get into their names in another blog post)
- Tala - In Carnatic music, Tala is the rhythmic framework for the musical composition. One can think of it as a musical clock.
- Raga - Raga is a musical framework used for improvisation. Each Raga has a specific set of notes and patterns. The Raga helps in setting the overall mood and evoking specific emotions.
So there we go; the 5 basic terms in Carnatic Music for beginners. Now the thing is, there are a LOT more terms, and a LOT more nuances to each of these terms. But, it is important to not let that deter you from your Carnatic music journey. After all, at the
end of the day, this journey is about discovering the melody that ALREADY lies within you!! So go on, learn these terms, learn the context. But most importantly; Don't forget to have fun!
