Guide to understanding Carnatic Music Notations

A Guide to Understanding Music Notations for Basic Exercises in Carnatic Music

1. Tuning into Music
Guide to understanding
Music Notations
Copyright © 2013, MR, Tuning into Music.
Carnatic Music

2. Tuning into Music
Copyright © 2013, MR, Tuning into Music.
Basic Exercises
•Composed in RāgaMāyāmālavagowla
•Set to AdiTāla–a cycle of 8 counts
•Except Alankāra–which is set to 7 different tālas
•Each of the exercises composed of different patterns of notes
•One note occurs for one count of tālain first speed
•Except JantaVarisay-each double note pair occurs for one count
of tāla

3. Tuning into Music
Copyright © 2013, MR, Tuning into Music.
Tālanotation
•Each cycle of tālacommences and ends with a double bar
highlighted in colour
•Each count of tālais separated by a single bar
•A beat of the tālais denoted by a single bar highlighted in
colour
•LaghuJātis: Tishra, Chaturashra, Khanda, Mishra, Sankeerna
denoted as: l
3, l
4, l
5, l
7, l
9respectively
•Dhruthahas two counts and is denoted as: O
2
•Anudhruthahas one count and is denoted as:

4. Tuning into Music
Copyright © 2013, MR, Tuning into Music.
Akshara& Aksharakāla
•Akshara: notes per count and Aksharakāla: duration of note
•Gatior rhythm of exercises is Chaturashragati
•Number of notes per count in Third Speed is Four
•Each count of tālais divided into 4 units of one-quarter time-
measure or Aksharakāla–denoted by comma “,”
•In First Speed, one note occurs for one whole count of tālaand is
denoted by itself followed by comma “,” in each successive unit
•In Second Speed, one note occurs for half the duration of count of
tālaand is denoted by itself followed by comma “,” in the next unit
•In Third Speed, one note occurs for a quarter of the duration of
count of tālaand occupies one unit

5. Tuning into Music
Copyright © 2013, MR, Tuning into Music.
An Analogy for Akshara&
Aksharakāla
•Imagine a house with more than one floor and many rooms
•TālaCycle: One floor TālaCount: One room
•Akshara: Notes per Count: number of persons in a room
•Aksharakāla: Duration of Note: extent to which a person can occupy a room
•Four Aksharasin Third speed: 4 units per room
•First speed: one aksharaper count: one person per room
•Second speed: two aksharasper count: two persons per room
•Third speed: four aksharasper count: 4 persons in a room

6. Tuning into Music
Copyright © 2013, MR, Tuning into Music.
Tri-kāla
•In Prathamakālaor First speed: ONE note occurs for ONE count
of tāla–each note extends for One Whole duration of count
(Whole note) –extends through all four units
•In Dvitiyakālaor Second speed: TWO notes occur for ONE count
of tāla–each note occurs for One Half duration of count (Half
note) –extends through two units
•In Tritiyakālaor Third speed: FOUR notes occur for ONE count of
tāla–each note occurs for One Quarter duration of count
(Quarter note) –one note per unit
•The tempo of the First speed must be set such that you can
render notes comfortably in the Third speed; with practice this
tempo can be increased reasonably

7. Tuning into Music
Copyright © 2013, MR, Tuning into Music.
Octave notes &
Other exercises
•Notes in ThāraSthāyior immediate higher octave range are
denoted with a dot “.” above the note
•Notes in MandraSthāyior immediate lower octave range are
denoted with a dot “.” below the note
•Alankāraexercises are set to 7 different tālasor Saptatāla
with LaghuJātis: Tishra, Chaturashra, Khandaand Mishra,
denoted by l
3, l
4, l
5, l
7respectively
•In Geetham, lyrics or Sahityamoccurs for certain notes; for
notes where there is no Sahityamit is denoted using dot(s) “.”

8. [email protected]
www.tuningintomusic.com
Presenter: MeeraRaghu
Tuning into Music
Thank you
Copyright © 2013, MR, Tuning into Music.
Carnatic Music