Carnatic music terminology

term used in the music of India

meter, time cycle measure in Indian music

Mēḷakartā is a collection of fundamental musical scales (ragas) in Carnatic music (South Indian classical music). Mēḷakartā ragas are parent ragas (hence known as janaka ragas) from which other ragas may be derived. A melakarta raga is sometimes referred as mela, karta or sampurna as well, though the latter usage is inaccurate, as a sampurna raga need not be a melakarta (take the raga Bhairavi, for example).

Swara () or svara is an Indian classical music term that connotes simultaneously a breath, a vowel, a note, the sound of a musical note corresponding to its name, and the successive steps of the octave, or saptanka. More comprehensively, it is the ancient Indian concept of the complete dimension of musical pitch. At its most basic comparison to western music, a swara is, essentially, a "note" of a given scale. However, that is but a loose interpretation of the word, as a swara is identified as both a musical note and tone; a "tone" is a precise substitute for sur, relating to "tunefulness". Tr

Alankara (), also referred to as palta or alankaram, is a concept in Indian classical music and literally means "ornament, decoration". An alankara is any pattern of musical decoration a musician or vocalist creates within or across tones, based on ancient musical theories or driven by personal creative choices, in a progression of svaras. The term alankara is standard in Carnatic music, while the same concept is referred to as palta or alankara in Hindustani music.

Janya is a term meaning "derive". In Carnatic (South Indian) music a janya raga is one derived from one of the 72 melakarta ragas (fundamental melodic structures). Janya ragas are classified into various types based on a variety of features.

ornamentation used in the performance of North and South Indian classical music

Svara in the Hindustani classical music and Carnatic Classical Music

Arohana, arohanam, aroh or aroha, in the context of Indian classical music, is the ascending scale of notes in a raga. The pitch increases as we go up from Shadja (Sa) to the Taar Shadja (Sa), possibly in a crooked (vakra) manner.

A pallavi is a refrain in carnatic music, commonly associated with South India. It is the first part of any formal composition (Krithi) which has three segments – Pallavi, Anupallavi and Charanam (which can be one or more). Pallavi is usually also an abbreviation of Ragam Thanam Pallavi. It is considered as the opening verse of Varnam.

Ragavardhini (pronounced rāgavardini) has two separate meanings in Indian classical music:

REDIRECT Arohana

concept in Hindustani music theory

Svara in the Hindustani classical music and Carnatic Classical Music

Svara in the Hindustani classical music and Carnatic Classical Music