Exploration in Indian Musical Instruments

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About the Book Throughout its history, the peoples of India have developed numerous systems for classifying musical instruments, many of which were based on morphological characteristics. The ancient Hindu system divided instruments into four categories: stretched (strings), covered (drums), hollow (wind), and solid (bells). This system is widely known to be the inspiration for the Western system of instrument classification put forth by Mahillon in 1880, which renames these groups-chordophones, membranophones, aerophones, and idiophones-basing the distinction on the way in which sound is created and not exclusively on construction. Over 2000 years ago, Bharata, in the Natya Shastra, classified instruments as tata (stringed instrument), sushira (wind instrument), avanaddha (percussion instrument) or ghana (solid instrument). Every one of the myriad instruments invented since then fits into one of these four timeless categories. This book is a comprehensive reference guide of Indian musical instruments. This book will be very useful for researchers, Music lovers, teachers and students of Music.

About The Author Kanishka Joshi is an acclaimed musicologist researching Indian musical instruments and their cultural significance. Her scholarly pursuits focus on the historical significance, craftsmanship, and cultural heritage of traditional Indian musical instruments. Joshi's dedication to cultural preservation and educational outreach underscores her contributions to promoting Indian music traditions globally.

Preface The music of the Indian subcontinent is usually divided into two major traditions of classical music: Hindustani music of North India and Karnatak music of South India, although many regions of India also have their own musical traditions that are independent of these. Both Hindustani and Karnatak music use the system of ragas-sets of pitches and small motives for melody construction-and tala for rhythm. Ragas form a set of rules and patterns around which a musician can create his or her unique performance. Likewise, tala is a system of rhythmic structures based on the combination of stressed and unstressed beats. Within these rhythmic structures, musicians can create their own rhythmic patterns building off the compositional styles of others. One of the main differences between North Indian and South Indian music is the increased influence of Persian music and musical instruments in the north. From the late twelfth century through the rise of British occupation, North India was under the control of a Muslim minority that was never able to extend its sphere of influence to South India. During this time, the music of North India began to acquire and adapt to the presence of Persian language, music, and musical instruments, such as the setar, from which the sitar got its name; the kamanche and santur, which became popular in Kashmir; and the rabab (alternately known as rebab and rubab), which preceded the sarod. New instruments were introduced, including the tabla and sitar, which soon became the most famous Indian musical instruments worldwide. Legend has it that the tabla was formed by splitting a pakhavaj drum in half, with the larger side becoming the bayan and the smaller side the dahini. The barrel-shaped pakhavaj drum, which was the ancestor of both the tabla and the mrdangam, has been depicted in countless paintings and prints. New genres of music were formed as well, such as khyal and qawwali, that combine elements of both Hindu and Muslim musical practice.