This lecture provides the brief introduction about Indian classical music (ICM) works. It answers the questions like:

1. What is Music and what are its elements ?
2. How is it different from the others genres ?
3. What should one keep in mind while practicing/reciting ICM ?

This lecture describes the brief basic terminology or nomenclature of music theory, which I will be using throughout the course and which is important to know. For example:

• Musical notes are called 'Swara' (pronunciation: Sw-a-r)
• Beats = Tala (Ta-a-l)
• Tempo = Laya (L-a-ey)
• Sound = Nada (N-a-a-d)
• Microtones/sound frequencies = Shruti (sh-ru-tih)
• Designs of notes = Alankaras (A-l-ang-ka-a-r)

All the nations and regions have their own culture and ethical decorum which encompasses the cultural values also. Indian music too has its unique style of posture, presentation, seating, accompaniment, holding instrument while singing etc.. This lecture demonstrates the exact posture, body-position, how a musician should be seated while reciting Indian music. For example, we have a low-seating, cross-legs, body straight, preferably in any Indian attire, while performing.

In this lecture, I have explained Indian voice culture. Its regarding how the Indian voice works and how many voice registers are there from where the voice are ideally produced. Why it is important to produce technically correct voice and what are indications which specify that one is producing safe, soft, and effortless voice.

Students will be learning very easy methods, or three step way of producing effective voice with ruining the throat. It is very essential to learn these three methods while singing as it solves most of the problems people face in vocalism. Three step formula is: Breathe deeply, fix a mouth shape and hit the direct note.

This lecture explains the five types of breathing exercise which is very beneficially before the music practices as it fully oxygenates you and fuels your body and makes you ready for the further music practices. But this video is optional as it is related to Yoga and breathing. If students do not find this important, they may skip.

This lecture discusses on how to vocalize OM properly, so that you don't over-strain you throat. After the initial OM rendition, your voice gets oxygenated and makes you all set for singing.

This lecture discusses on how to vocalize vowels properly, so that you don't over-strain you throat. After the initial OM rendition, your voice gets oxygenated and makes you all set for singing.

In this lecture, students will be learning the four one-liner shlokas/mantras to stabilise and establish the base note SA properly on the scale-G. Mantra rendition enhance the articulation and speech ability and make one speak the lyrics with much competence.

This lecture involves vocalization of the first note 'SA', which is the tonic/base note. 'Tonic' note or SA holds a special place in Indian music as it initiates the location and feel of rest of the notes. Therefore, SA rendition is important. Seven natural Indian notes are Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni.

This lecture discusses about how octaves work. Octave (Saptak )means 'interval between a pitch from its half or double frequency, like C to C, or G# to G#. In Indian music, there are three kinds of saptaks, with reference to the base note SA:

1. Mandra Saptak (lower octave, which is below the tonic SA)
2. Madhya Saptak (Mid-octave, notes after the tonic SA)
3. Tara saptaka (higher octave, notes which are above the octave or high SAA)

In this lecture, students will be learning to sing the lower octave notes which takes you voice deep down towards the root notes. Lower octave means when you go lower than the base-SA. Lower octave practice or Mandra Riyaz is very essential to make the voice bass and heavier and it enhance and fulfils the other two octaves.

In this lecture, students will be learning the alankaras: fixed pattern of the notes which results in the competence of the singing skills and the fast rendition of the swaras. This lecture show the ladder pattern as in 121, 12321, 1234321, 123454321,.... and similarly the reverse rendition: 878, 87678, 8765678,  876545678.....

In this Video, Instructor has guided how one should play the notes with scale G on the harmonium so that the student don't practice wrong. He can always play the keys and check the notes he is singing and practicing

'Alankaras' or patterns means symmetrical designs of notes. Singing organized sequence of notes helps us verbalize the notes with increased tempo which eventually enhances the Taans (fast improvisation). To illustrate alankaras :

S R S G R R G R M G, G M G P M, M P M D P, P D P N D, D N D SA N,

N S N R SA. This sequence follows: 1 2 1 3 2, 23243, 34354, 45465 and so on...

This lecture takes you a step forward helping you vocalize more advanced and harder alankaras or patterns, involving 6-8 notes together.

In this lecture, set of two-two  notes alankaras have been taught and demonstrated for easier practice. Students will be learning the easy alankaras: designs having just two notes, which will guide them to higher skills in the raga renditions and ornamentations.

In this lecture, instructor has demonstrated how to frame the different Alankaras so that the students can frame it on their own and practice them. The tricks will lead them to make as easier or as harder alankaras they want to frame, they can.

In this lecture, a lengthy and difficult alankara has been rendered and taught which students can give a try and practice once they are done with the practice of easy and simple alankaras and those who want to move forward.

In this lecture, Instructor has taught a trick how to identify the notes (Swaras) with the help of the established base note. Instructor has also asked some questions (sang in Aakaar) to make students identify that particular notes. The Answers will be written here in the description and I request the students not to read them before thinking the answers themselves.  Hint: All the notes will be natural.

Answers for 1-10 sequence: Pa, Ni, Re, Ma, Dha, ni.(L)   dha.(L),  Ni, Ga, RE(Higher)

This lecture describes the extra five notes apart from the seven natural ones. Apart from the seven natural, there are five more notes which are flatted or sharped notes. There are five notes out of seven which can change its location to one half step lower or higher; therefore, there are total of twelve notes (7+5=12) in 22 micro tones which are used in the ragas. These twelve notes are:

1. S
2. re (re flat)
3. RE
4. g (flat)
5. G
6. M
7. m (sharp)
8. P
9. d (flat)
10. ni (flat)
11. NI
12. SA

This section includes the detailed introduction and mechanism of Indian rhythms and beats system. Beats and rhythms are one of the most essential elements in music. This lecture introduces about how rhythms and beats work; what are the talas ? Terminology for Talas are:

• Tala (Ta-a-l): Beat
• Laya (L-a-y-e) : tempo, speed
• Sam (SUM) : first beat of a tala
• Vibhaag (V-I-BHA-A-G) : measure, bars

This lecture is a further description of how the rhythms work and introduces you with some of the Hindi terminology which is often used in music.

There are more than 700 types of Talas in Indian music. This lecture describes different kinds of popular and often used Talas, their calculation and comparison with western discipline. Different kinds of popular talas are:

• Teentala
• Dadra
• Ektala
• Chaartala
• Keherwa

'Teentala' is the most accessible, coherent, user-friendly,and prime Tala in the Indian Classical music. Indian musicians, either amateur or veterans, not only know but try to master this Tala even for their advanced recital. Teentala consist of:

1. Beats=16 ( dha dhin dhin dha/ dha dhin dhin dha/ dha tin tin ta / ta dhin dhin dha)
2. Clap= 1,5,13
3. Zero=9
4. Measure= 4

In this lecture, instructor has taught a childish simple, cute melody which comprised of the natural notes (Sargam) and which is composed in the Teentala rhythm i.e. 16 beats tala. This is just an illustration of how the compositions are made in Indian music.

This section contains the core of the Indian classical which is Raga. Classical performances are recited in the form of ragas. Ragas are specific, fixed characteristic tunes made of the permutations and combinations of the 12 notes (described as above). A raga has minimum five and maximum seven notes.

This lecture explains the basic definition and importance of a raga in Indian music. How the ragas are directly connected with moods and emotions; How it relates to the worshiping of God. This lecture also includes how the ragas are classified into time zone or seasons.

This lecture contains the basic terminology used for the elements involved in a Raga. A raga consists of:

• Aaroh-Avroh-Pakad - Ascend-descend-main phrase
• Vadi-Samvadi - Most imp and second important note in a raga
• Jaati - Number of notes used
• Thaat - Comes in which family or head raga
• Time - Time of singing this raga
• Aalap - Slow improvisation
• Taan - Fast improvisation
• Bandish - song or piece/composition

Bandish means the SONG or COMPOSITION created in a raga. There are two kinds of bandish : Fast and slow. While learning a bandish or song, it is essential to be familiar with the elements and syntax of bandish, so that you are able to sing the bandish following its overall decorum.

This lecture discusses the elements and sequence involved in a bandish, which is:

• Sthayee - Rephrase (first part)
• Antara - Stanza (second part)
• Tihaai - Ending the bandish rendering the rephrase thrice.

There are hundreds and thousands of ragas in Indian music some of them are existing since ancient times, others have been newly created by the musicians. This lecture provide you the brief information and general introduction of different types of popular, pleasant ragas which are sung or played often today, like Bhoopali, malhar, yaman, des etc..

This section demonstrates the detailed description and vocalizing raga Bhairav. Out of ten basic ragas, which are responsible for the creation of other numerous ragas, we will be starting a morning raga called RAGA BHAIRAVA.

This lecture contains the general introduction and what to perceive during singing raga Bhairava. For instance, this is a morning raga, which gives a dawn and dull feel when we are awake; our mind is fresh enough to feel and welcome the sunrise. Its a serious raga which inculcates maturity and serenity in our attitude.

This lecture starts with singing basic notes of raga bhairava like aaroh, avroh, pakad:

This raga has all the seven notes with Re and Dha komal. i.e., IInd and VIth notes flat (1/2 step lowered)

• Aaroh-Avroh - S r G M P dh N SA, SA N d P M G r S
• pakad, - G M r S, G M dh P
• vadi-samvaadi, - Re - Dha
• time of singing, Morning 4 to 7
• Jaati - Sampoorna

This lecture is a practice lecture of the Bhairava notes rendering the Aaroh-Avroh-Pakad repetitively so that the students may be able to grasp the notes properly and prepare themselves to go further

In this lecture, Bhairava notes are demonstrated on the Harmonium so that the students do not sing wrong notes and check themselves while practicing: bhairava Aroh-Avroh and the Alankaras are  displayed on the Harmonium

This lecture demonstrate the same Alankars which we have already but in Raga Bhairava for better retention of the notes and sound frequencies of Bhairava. Students will be having having understanding of Bhairava notes through these renditions.

This lecture includes the AALAP, a slow improvisation of notes which is helpful for establishing the raga. Aalap is an important element in the raga development as it inspirit a particular raga into the musician's and the listener's mind as well. Raga stabilizes in our mind and we start personifying it as an entity or soul.

Aalap improvisation is a musician's extempore ability and creation which develops through experience, knowledge and aesthetic capability, but I have composed the aalap in order to make singing and understanding easy for the beginners.

In this lecture, instructor has introduced a composition in Raga bhairava which is called Swar-Malika; Swar malika is a non-lyrics composition comprising only the notes and the beats in particular Raga....it has no words content and is used for teaching the raga to the beginners for their better grasp.

'Bandish' is a musical word for song or composition or piece especially created in a specific raga. 'Bandish' means rigidly organized in swar and tala. Bandish has two parts: STHAYEE and ANTARA. Sthyee is the first part which can be referred as rephrase and antara is the next part as in stanza.

This lecture constitutes the sthayee, the first part of a bandish in raga bhairava. Sthayee :

Dhan dhan murat krishna murari

sulakshan giridhari, chhavi sunder laage ati pyari...

This lecture explains the second part of the bandish which is called ANTARA. Antara can be conceptualize as stanza of a song. Antara generally depicts the higher notes of a raga and created for the purpose of returning to the sthayee again.

Antara of theis bandish in raga Bhairava is:

Bansi dhar man mohan suhave

Bali Bali jaaun more man bhave

Sab rang gyan vecharii.....

dhan dhan murat..... (back to sthayee)

There are thousands of bandish in all the several ragas.

This lecture introduces Bol-baant, extempore, innovative, random swaras rendition in moderate tempo (same tala which follows the bandish). Bol-baant is another interesting element in the raga improvisation, which is sung after the bandish is sung once. Bol-baant shows up in order to elaborate the bandish and take it to the faster tempo. Bol-baant is vocalized in aakar, swaras as in sargam-rendition, or with the help of words of the bandish.

Bol-baant is fully extempore and is a tremendous creativity of a musician which develops through practices. Although, I have set the bol-baant for students to know how it works.

This lecture explains and help students vocalize TAAN, fast improvisation of notes. Taanas are sung in super increased tempo (tala), according to the individual's capability and caliber. Taanas require a lot of energy, proper breathing, belly flexibility, as taanas are vocalized through the stomach register. Taanas also help us verbalize the swaras SA re ga ma.... in quick and random manner. One requires a focused brain, raga knowledge, and innovative power to vocalize Taanas. Normally, Taanas can be considered as the eighth notes, sixteen notes or 32 ...

Initially, Taanas should be practiced in a moderate tempo as in two notes/beat. It is written as:

SR GR GM GM PM PM GR SS.....

This lecture demonstrate the tricks and easy methods of grasping and articulating Taans properly and in a skilful way.

After having an idea about how various elements in the classical heritage, finally this lecture demonstrates the sequence and decorum once again. The sequence follows: