What is Hindustani vocal music?

Hindustani vocal music is a style of Indian classical music that's based on the Raga system and is primarily practiced in North India. It has a variety of musical elements, including ragas, talas, geet, dadra, and tarana. Here are some things to know about Hindustani vocal music: Raga system Hindustani vocal music is based on the Raga system, which is a melodic scale with seven basic notes and five interspersed half-notes. Dhrupad and Khayal The two major forms of Hindustani vocal music are dhrupad and khayal. Dhrupad is the older form with strict norms, while khayal is more recent and allows for more freedom in presentation. Light classical forms There are also light classical forms of Hindustani vocal music, such as dhamar, trivat, chaiti, kajari, tappa, tap-khyal, thumri, dadra, ghazal, and bhajan. Influences Hindustani music is influenced by ancient Hindu tradition, Vedic philosophy, and Persian, Arab, and Afghan traditions. read less

Hindustani vocal music is a style of Indian classical music that is characterized by its use of ragas, talas, and other musical elements: Ragas: A melodic framework for improvisation and composition, based on a scale of seven basic notes and five half-notes Talas: Rhythmic principles based on cyclic metric patterns Vocal forms: Major forms include dhrupad, khyal, and tarana, while lighter forms include dhamar, trivat, chaiti, kajari, tappa, tap-khyal, thumri, dadra, ghazal, and bhajan Influences: Hindustani music has been influenced by Arab, Persian, and Afghan elements Performance: Hindustani vocal music is often performed in the tradition of dhrupad singing Hindustani music originated in the medieval period and is found in the northern three-fourths of the Indian subcontinent. It was passed down through the Guru-Shishya Parampara, or teacher-student tradition. read less