Hindustani
Hindustani music is the typical music one would find in Northern India. It is a very old form of music in India, originating from the Vedic Times and being found in various compositions during Ancient and Medieval India. This genre is based on the Raga system of music which uses seven distinct notes: sa, re, ga, ma, pa, dha, and ni. Due to the fact that all of these notes, with the exception of sa and pa, can either be in major or minor key. This gives freedom for many different portrayals of Hindustani music to be performed. The specific notes included in the piece play a crucial role in its character as well as how they rise and fall within the piece. The melody is created within one of the ten scales. This type of music typically starts out slower and increases in speed as the song goes on. Typically, the type of music preformed depends on the time and season. Instruments used in Hindustani music include the sitar, surbahar, sarod, sarangi, santoor, bansuri, pakhavaj, and the tabla. Please explore further to gain a better understanding of this genre. For more information about the theory of Indian music, please see the Theory tab.