I am writing a research paper regarding the interpretation of sound in Indian music. My particular interest is in how different gharanas view the importance of sound to their identity. For example, how does the philosophy of sound affect the way one plays an instrument, such as the tabla? How important is the quality of sound to the identity of a gharana, as oppossed to technique, style, and other factors, such as tala, laya, and raga choice? Are some gharanas more philosophical or spiritual in their interpretation of the nature of sound? How important is the spiritual aspect to the production of sound in performance? How, specifically, does one gharana differ from another when just looking at sound, e.g. timbre, quality, color, pitch, intonation, etc.? How are the various philosophies of sound passed on to students?
