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Indian Musical Genres 01
The tabla is the instrument usually used to play the theka.

Indian Musical Genres 01

Explore Indian musical genres and learn how rhythm cycles, melodic patterns, and instruments create distinctive sounds in KS3 Music, from classical traditions to modern film music.

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Fascinating Fact:

Improvisation is an important feature in Indian classical music, with musicians creating variations while staying within the raga and tala framework.

In KS3 Music, Indian musical genres help you hear how music can be organised differently across cultures. You will listen for rhythm cycles, melodic patterns, texture and timbre, and describe how instruments and structure shape the overall style.

Key Terms

  • Raga: A set of notes and rules that shapes melody, including typical patterns and mood.
  • Tala: A repeating rhythmic cycle, counted in beats, that musicians keep and develop.
  • Drone: A steady background note, or notes, held throughout a section to support the melody.

Frequently Asked Questions (Click to see answers)

What are the main types of Indian classical music?

The two main traditions are Hindustani (from North India) and Carnatic (from South India). Both use ragas for melody and talas for rhythm, but they often feature different instruments and performance styles.

What instruments are common in Indian music for KS3?

You might hear the sitar or sarod for melody, tabla for percussion, and a tambura providing a drone. Other instruments include bansuri (bamboo flute) and harmonium, depending on the genre.

How is Bollywood music different from Indian classical music?

Bollywood music is designed for films and usually uses short songs with clear verses and choruses. Indian classical music often focuses on extended performance, with raga-based melody and tala-based rhythm shaping the structure.

Try These Related Quizzes

1 .
What is a 'swar'?
The volume
The note/pitch
The tempo
All of the above
The swar are the notes in the Indian music scale
2 .
What is a bhajan/qawwali?
An instrumental solo
An orchestra work
A type of song
None of the above
Bhajans and qawwalis are spiritual songs
3 .
What instrument is the theka usually played by?
Electric Guitar
Mandolin
Piano
Tabla
Tabla are small drums
4 .
What is 'theka'?
A key change pattern
A dynamic change
A drumming pattern identified by a particular tal
All of the above
Used for keeping time in music
5 .
What best describes a 'rag'?
A type of experimental jazz
A genre of rock music from the 1980s
The modal basis of Indian classical music
None of the above
Strictly speaking, a prescribed selection of melodic material that is the basis for composition and improvisation
6 .
What is the swar for an antara?
Mostly in the upper register
Mostly in the lower/middle register
Nothing to do with pitch, just played loudly!
None of the above
An antara is similar to a verse in Western music
7 .
What is an 'antara'?
The first part of a composition
The second part of a composition
The third part of a composition
The fourth part of a composition
The antara follows the sthayi
8 .
Bhajan/qawwali represents what kind of music?
Experimental jazz
Hip-hop
Religious
Secular
Strictly speaking, a 'devotional song' with no fixed form
9 .
What is an asthayi?
The first part of a composition
The second part of a composition
The third part of a composition
None of the above
The swar is usually in the middle/lower registers
10 .
What best describes 'tal'?
The system of dynamics
The system of key signature changes
The system of rhythm in Indian music as a whole
The system of volume
The tal is usually played on small drums called tabla
You can find more about this topic by visiting BBC Bitesize - Music

Author:  Thomas Daish (Keyboard & Woodwind Specialist, Music Teacher & Quiz Writer)
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