Indian Musical Terms
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Select the first letter of the word from the list above to jump to appropriate section of the glossary.
sa – The first note of the Indian scale. (more info.)
saami – A women’s folk dance of the Punjab.
saaz – A musical instrument.
sabrang – The nom de plume of Bade Ghulam Ali Khan(1902-1968).
sabri brothers – Ghulam Farid Sabri (1930-1994) and Maqbool Ahmed Sabri (1945-2011) , who were 20th century musicians considered to be greatly responsible for raising the status of the qawwali form of singing.
sadanand tal – A tal of three beats somewhat similar to dadra.
sadarang – (1670-1748) Pen name of Niyamat Khan who was very noteworthy for the popularisation of the kheyal style of singing.
sadra – An old style of singing that had some of the characteristics of Kheyal and some of the characteristics of Dhrupad. It was usually performed in either Tivra tal (7 beats) or Sool tal (10 beats).
sadhana – Great perseverance, practice. (more info.)
safed-char – The fourth white key of a harmonium’s octave. (i.e., F)
safed-chhe – The sixth white key of a harmonium’s octave. (i.e., A)
safed-do – The second white key of a harmonium’s octave. (i.e., D)
safed-ek – The first white key of a harmonium’s octave. (i.e., C)
safed-panch – The fifth white key of a harmonium’s octave. (i.e., G)
safed-saat – The seventh white key of a harmonium’s octave. (i.e., B)
safed-teen – The third white key of a harmonium’s octave. (i.e., E)
sagar tal – An obscure tal of 17 beats.
sahana – A rag.
saigal, kl – Noted popular singer of the early 20th century. (more info.)
sajan – A rare rag
sajgiri – A rare rag.
sakari – See “charhi”.
sakhi nata – A puppet dance of Odissa.
salil chowdhuri – Noted film music director of the 20th century. (more info.)
salil-da – Nickname for the noted film music director Salil Chowdhury. (more info.)
salvanth tal – An obscure tal of 26 matras, formerly played on pakhawaj.
sam – The first beat of a cycle. (more info.)
sam grah – 1) The process of ending a composition on the sam. 2) An archaic term indicating that the music starts on sam. One of the das pran of tal. (more info.)
sama yati – (Archaic) A type of yati characterized by uniform tempo from beginning to end.
samadarshan tal – An obscure tal of 24 beats.
samant sarang – A rare rag.
samavadi – The second most important note of a rag. (more info.)
samaveda – One of the Vedas (religious texts) of the Hindus. (more info.)
samay – The appropriate time for performance of a rag. (more info.)
sambal – Folk drums of western India. (more info.)
samir tal – An obscure tal of seven beats.
sampurna-audav – A rag which has 7 notes in the ascending structure and 5 notes in the descending structure. (more info.)
sampurna jati – A rag of seven notes. (more info.)
sampurna-sampurna – A rag which has 7 notes in the ascending structure and 7 notes in the descending structure. (more info.)
sampurna-shadav – A rag which has 7 notes in the ascending structure and 6 notes in the descending structure. (more info.)
sampurna tihai – A tihai at the end of a kaida which contains the entire theme.
samyak – (Archaic) A style of timekeeping in marg sashabd kriya, characterized by the striking of the stationary right hand with the left hand.
sanchari – A tertiary theme found in Dhrupad and other older vocal forms. (more info.)
sandhi prakash – Twilight (either morning or evening.)
sangat(i) – Accompaniment.
sangavikram tal – An obscure tal of 64 beats.
sangeet – Music and dance. (more info.)
sangeet darpan – 17th century treatise on music written by Damodar Mishra.
sangeet makarand – 9th century treatise on music writtten my Narada (not the Narada of mythology).
sangeet ratnakar – A 13th century treatise on music written by Sharangdev. (more info.)
sanghalila tal – An obscure tal of 14 beats.
sanjh ka hindol – A rare rag.
sankirna jati – A rhythm of 4 1/2, 9, 18, etc. beats. (more info.)
sankirna tihai – A tihai at the end of a kaida which contains only a portion of the theme.
sannipat – (Archaic) A style of timekeeping in the marg sashabd kriya characterized by the movement of both hands.
santoor – See “santur”.
santur – An Indian hammered dulcimer. (more info.)
sapat tan – A tan which moves in a very straight note-by-note process to quickly move up the octave
saptak – 1) The gamut or octave. (more info.) 2) The interval of one octave (e.g., Sa and Så or 1200 cents). 3) The register (The position in the audio spectrum expressed as 2-to1 ratios of the fundamental frequency.) (more info.)
sar tal – An obscure tal of eight beats.
sarang – A rag.
sarang ke filmi git – Film songs in rag Sarang. (more info.)
sarangi – A fretless bowed instrument with numerous strings. (more info.)
saraswati – 1) Hindu goddess of music, arts, and learning. 2) A rag.
saraswati tal – An obscure tal of 18 beats.
saraswati vina – The common south Indian vina. (more info.)
sargam – The gamut. (i.e,. Sa, Re, Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, and Ni). (more info.)
saringda – A folk version of sarangi found in Rajasthan, and Pakistan. (more info.)
sarmay-e-ishrat – A 19th century treatise on the sitar. (more info.)
sarod – A stringed instrument similar to rabab. (more info.)
saroj tal – An obscure tal of 12 beats.
sarparada – A rare rag.
sarvakalik – A rag which may be performed at any time.
sarpini – (Archaic) A style of silent timekeeping (deshi nishabd kriya).
sashabd kriya – (Archaic) Timekeeping that makes noise (e.g., clapping of hands). (more info.)
satgun – Division of matra into seven divisions. (more info.)
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sath – A class of compositions found in the pakhawaj styles. (more info.)
sath sangat – A style of playing where beat-for-beat the tabla follows the main artist.
saurashtratank – A rare rag.
savai – see “sawai”.
savani kalyan – A rare rag.
savari badi tal – See “badi savari”.
savari choti tal – Choti savari, see “pancham savari”.
savari pancham tal – See “pancham savari”.
savari – A rare rag.
savari tal – An obscure tal variously described as 14, 15, 16, 30, or 32 beats. See also “badi savari” or “choti savari”.
sawai – 11/4 time. (i.e., playing five strokes in four beats.) See “kuadi”. (more info.)
sawai gandharva – (1886-1952) Famous vocalist of the Kirana gharana.
sawal-javab – (lit. “question and answer”) An interchange between two musicians whereby one performs a pattern and it is duplicated by the second musician.
saveri – A rare rag.
saz – See “saaz”.
sd burman – See “Burman, Sachin Dev”.
semi-tone – One 12th of an octave (e.g., the interval between Sa and komal Re). It is also known as a “minor 2nd”. In Western music it is fixed at 100 cents, but is highly variable in Indian music. (more info.)
seeda kan – A direct way of executing a kan swar (grace note) on a sitar or similar stringed instrument.
seni rebab – A large sarod like instrument popular during the Moghal period. (more info.)
senia gharana – The musical lineage of Mian Tansen.
seven – According to the South Indian nomenclature of pitch, this represents B. It is so called because it represents the seventh white key of the octave of the harmonium.
shabad – A religious song of the Sikhs. (more info.)
shadav – A rag composed six notes. (more info.)
shadav-audav – A rag which has 6 notes in the ascending structure and 5 notes in the descending structure. (more info.)
shadav-sampurna – A rag which has 6 notes in the ascending structure and 7 notes in the descending structure. (more info.)
shadav-shadav – A rag which has 6 notes in the ascending structure and 6 notes in the descending structure. (more info.)
shadj – The first note of the Indian scale (Sa). (more info.)
shadajagrama – (Archaic) A parent scale from which numerous jatis (modal forms) were derived.
shadtal – An obscure tal of 12 beats.
shagird – A student or disciple. (more info.)
shahana – A rag.
shahana kanada – A rare rag.
shai – Vernacular of syahi. See “syahi”.
shaik dawood khan – Noted tabla player of the late 20th century. (more info.)
shakti – Energy, force, power.
shakti tal – An obscure tal of 10 beats.
sham chaurasia gharana – A vocal gharana of the Punjab, its most noteworthy exponents in recent time were Nazakat Ali and Salamat Ali Khan.
shambhu tal – An obscure tal of 16 beats.
shankar, anoushka – Noted sitarist and daughter of the illustrious Ravi Shankar. (more info)
shankar, ravi – Noted sitarist of the 20th century. (more info.)
shankar tal – An obscure tal of 11 beats.
shankara – A common rag. (more info.)
shankara ke filmi git – Film songs in rag Shankara. (more info.)
shankh – A conch shell horn. (more info.)
shankh tal – An obscure tal of 10 or 13 beats.
shanmukh tal – An obscure tal of 10 beats.
shanta – The emotion of peace or tranquility, one of the Navaras (nine emotions) behind all art forms. (more info.)
sharabhakrida tal – An obscure tal of 19 beats.
sharabhalila tal – An obscure tal of 21 beats.
sharangdev – (1175-1247) Author of Sangeet Ratnakar. (more info.)
sharajanma tal – An obscure tal of 15 beats.
sharp – To be higher than a particular pitch
shastriya sangeet – Classical music.
shavarni tal – An obscure tal of seven beats.
shehnai – An Indian oboe. (more info.)
shesh tal – An obscure tal of 19 beats.
shikhir tal – An obscure tal of 17 beats.
shikhiravahan tal – An obscure tal of 12 beats.
shishya – A student, or disciple. (more info.)
shisham – Indian rosewood (Dalbergia sisu).
shivaranjani – An extremely common pentatonic rag known for its mood of pathos. (more info.)
shivaranjani ke filmi git – Film songs in rag Shivaranjani. (more info.)
shivmatt bhairav – A rare rag.
shobhadham tal – An obscure tal of 22 beats.
shravannil tal – An obscure tal of 21 beats.
shree – A common rag. (more info.)
shree rag ke filmi git – Film songs in rag Shree. (more info.)
shree kalyan – A rare rag.
shreeranjani – A rag.
shreetank – A rare rag.
shri – see “shree”
shringar – The romantic or erotic emotion, one of the Navaras (nine emotions) behind all art forms. (more info.)
shruti – (lit. “to be heard”) 1) The Vedas, 2) The drone. 3) The microtones.
shruti box – See “surpeti”
shruti tal – An obscure tal of 22 beats.
shuddha – (lit. “pure”) Basic, primary.
shuddha asawari – A rag.
shuddha kalyan – A rag. (more info.)
shuddha kalyan ke filmi git – Film songs in rag Shuddha Kalyan. (more info.)
shuddha jati – One of the seven modes which may be derived by simple modulation.
shuddha madalam – Two faced drum of Kerala. (more info.)
shuddha sarang – A rag.
shuddha sarang ke filmi git – Film songs in rag Shuddha Sarang. (more info.)
shuddha swar – A natural note.
shukla bilawal – A rare rag.
shultal – See “sulfak” tal.
shyam – (lit. “dark”) Krishna.
shyam kalyan – A rag.
shyam kalyan ke filmi git – Film songs in rag Shyam Kalyan. (more info.)
shyam kedar – A rare rag.
siddheshwari devi – (1903-1977) A popular thumri singer of the Benares gharana.
sidha – The small wooden right hand drum.
simhendra madhyamam – A rag, originally of Carnatic music, which today is also performed in the North.
sindh – A region of Pakistan.
sindhi – An Indo-European language common to the Sindh region.
sindhi bhairavi – See “Sindhu Bhairavi”.
sindhu bhairavi – A very light and popular form of Bhairavi.
sindhu bhairavi ke filmi git – Film songs in rag Sindhu Bhairavi. (more info.)
sindhura – A rare rag.
sindhura ke filmi git – Film songs in rag Sindhura. (more info.)
singhnad tal – An obscure tal of 40 beats.
sir tal – An obscure tal of six beats.
sitar – A common long necked fretted instrument. (more info.)
sitara devi – Famous exponent of Kathak in the early 20th century. (more info.)
sitarkhani – A 16 beat tal which is the same as Punjabi theka. (more info.)
six – According to the South Indian nomenclature of pitch, this represents A. It is so called because it represents the sixth white key of the octave of the harmonium.
six-and-half – According to the South Indian nomenclature of pitch, this represents A# (Bb). It is so called because it represents a half-step higher than the sixth white key of the octave of the harmonium.
sohani – A rag. (more info.)
sohani ke filmi git – Film songs in rag Sohani. (more info.)
sohini – see “Sohani”
sool tal – See “sulfak tal”.
soolfak tal – See “sulfak tal”.
sorath – A rare rag.
srotagata yati – (Archaic) This yati is said to flow like a stream. It begins slow and gradually increases to a fast conclusion.
staff notation – The Western system of musical notation. (more info.)
sthai – The primary theme of a classical vocal piece. (more info.)
stick zither – Any stringed instrument based upon a central stick which is either attached to or penetrates the resonator(s). (e.g., rudra vina, ektar, dotar.)
stotra – A Sanskrit couplet.
stuti – (lit. “prayer, praise of God”) See bol paran.
sudarshan tal – An obscure tal of 10 or 20 beats.
sufi – An Islamic mystical tradition, very popular in South Asia, which uses devotional music as an important part of its activities.
sugrahai – a rare rag.
suha – A rare rag.
sukhdev maharaj – Famous Kathak dancer at the turn of the 20th century. (more info.)
sul tal – See “sulfak tal”.
sulfak tal – An old pakhawaj tal of 10 beats. (more info.)
summation tone – A tone created by mixing two other tones, whose frequency equals the sum of the frequencies of the two original frequencies. This phenomenon is especially important in defining the sound of the tanpura.
sur – 1) A note (see “swar”). 2) The pitch of the tabla or other instrument. 3) The maidan of the tabla or pakhawaj.
sur malhar – A rare rag.
sur malhar ke filmi git – Film songs in rag Sur Malhar. (more info.)
surbahar – A bass sitar. (more info.)
surdas – (1535-1640) A great saint who composed many bhajans. (more info.)
suresh babu – (1902-1953) Suresh Babu Mane, great vocalist of the Kirana gharana.
surmandal – A small harp used to accompany vocalists. (more info.)
surpeti – A small box, sometimes hand pumped and sometimes electronic, used to provide a drone. (more info.)
sursringar – A large lute that was relatively popular in the past but today is very rare. (more info.)
sushir – A musical instrument characterized by blowing air (flute, shehnai, harmonium, etc.)(more info.)
swami haridas – 16th century musician/ saint who is reputed to be the teacher of Mian Tansen.
swar – A musical note. (more info.)
swar prastar – See “prastar #2”
swarabat – A south Indian version of the sarod. It is very rare today. (more info.)
swarit – One of the three notes of Rig Vedic chanting. (more info.)
swarlipi – Musical notation. (more info.)
swarmalika – A style of singing where the vocalist sings the sargam of the song. (more info.)
swarmandal – see surmandal.
swarmelakalanidhi – 16th century work by Ramamatya of Vijaynagar, which was one of the first to observe the divergent paths of what became known as Hindustani and Carnatic sangeet.
swarup – (lit. “shape” or “form”) See “pakad”. (more info.)
syahi – The black application on the heads of the tabla, pakhawaj or similar instruments. (more info.)
sympathetic strings – A series of strings on the sitar, sarod, or similar stringed instrument whose purpose is to vibrate whenever their corresponding note is sounded on the main playing string. The sympathetic strings are generally referred to as “tarafdar”
sympathetic vibration – The phenomenon by which two vibrating objects will vibrate simultaneously, even if only one of which is excited.
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