The music rooted in the classical (Northern and Southern) music systems of India.
Questions about the classical musical systems of India and neighbouring countries. These include the Northern(Hindustani) and Southern (Carnatic) classifications which are closely related but are very distinct.
Indian classical music is built upon ragas. Each raga is classified according many parameters such as feeling, time at which it is sung, notes used - number and type, octave used etc. Music is purely based on expressing the soulfulness and aesthetics of the raga using the Taalas(beats or rythms) and Swaras(notes). (The concept of raga is very similar to the concept of note-color or timbre. A raga includes a specific combination/ usage of notes that give a characteristic flavor or color to the performance.)
In swaras there are 7 shuddh swaras(pure notes) and 5 vakr swaras(devious notes) i.e. komal(flat) and tivra(sharp) notes. Common instruments include Bansuri(Flute) , Sitar , Sarod, Harmonium and Sarangi
In Taalas it has complex rhythms, with southern styles being even more so. Common rhythm cycles are 16, 12, 7, 9 but may also see 6, 13, 15 ,14 and even 11.5, 13.25 beats cycles from the more accomplished musician. Common percussion instruments are the tabla, jori and pakhavaj.
Forms of Indian Classical Music includes Khyal, Thumri,Chaiti ,Dadra,Kajri ,'Tarana' ,Qawali and Ghazal and the older more meditative style of Drupad and Dhamar.
An important characteristic of Indian classic is, commonly the performer need-not recite or follow an exact script or composition. Instead the performer, on the stage, create new musical-patterns (and in vocal-music there are ample places to stretch and re-order the sentences) obeying certain rules or grammar.
