India Music

About Music of India

The music of India includes multiple varieties of folk, popular, pop, classical music and R&B. India's classical music tradition, including Carnatic and Hindustani music, has a history spanning millennia and developed over several eras. It remains fundamental to the lives of  Indians today as sources of spiritual inspiration, cultural expression and pure entertainment. India is made up of several dozen ethnic groups, speaking their own languages anddialects, having distinct cultural traditions.

India’s musical history dates back to the prehistoric times and is in fact regarded as one of the oldest in the world. Most experts claim that the origins of Indian music dates back to the era when the Vedas were created. India’s music is based on the combination of vocal and instrumental music, along with dance. The basis for Indian music is "sangeet".Sangeet is a combination of three artforms: vocal music, instrumental music and dance. One of oldest music forms known as Sama was developed during the Vedic period, which stretched from 1500 to 500 BC. The hymns that were penned by the learned men of that age were put to tune. Ever since the history of Indian music saw continuous evolution from the devotional folk to the present day structural form based on the melody and rhythm, also called raga and taal, respectively.

Rag is the melodic form while tal is the rhythmic.Rag may be roughly equated with the Western term mode or scale.  There is a system of seven notes which are arranged in a means not unlike Western scales.  However when we look closely we see that it is quite different what we are familiar with.The tal (rhythmic forms) are also very complex.  Many common rhythmic patterns exist.  They revolve around repeating patterns of beats.

Indian music has continued to evolve and develop through the eras. It undoubtedly, forms an essential part of every Indian’s life living in this country or overseas. In fact there are a large number of foreigners who have taken to learning the various forms of Indian music.