IME Glossary

Glossary of Terms

Swara – pitch, note
Sur – tune (besur – out of tune)
Palta-alankar – permutations & combinations of swaras
Saptak, sapat - octave
Aroha – ascending scale or series of swaras
Avroha – descending scale or series of swaras
Sargam – singing of pitch names, i.e., Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni Sa; also a type of study composition that uses pitch names instead of lyrics
Aakar – singing the open vowel “aa” instead of sargam or bol
Raga – melodic structure, characterized by a collections of 5, 6, or 7 (rarely 4) swaras moving in a particular aroha and avroha, having a particular order of importance and one or more characteristic phrases
Komal – lowered swara (represented by lower case letters: r g d n)
Tivra – raised swara (represented by upper case letter or mark abov
e the letter: M, M’)
Thata – the basic scales from which various ragas can be built Tala – rhythm, rhythmic cycle/s
Bol – literally “word”: the sounds produced on the drum such as tabla; also the vocables that represent the sounds, recited by the player; lyrics
Matra - beat
Theka – the arrangement of bols in a particular tala
Laya – tempo

Aakar – singing the open vowel “aa” instead of sargam or bol Aroha – ascending scale or series of swaras Avroha – descending scale or series of swaras Bol – literally “word”: the sounds produced on the drum such as tabla; also the vocables that represent the sounds, recited by the player; lyrics e the letter: M, M’) Khali – Most commonly signifies the midpoint or "empty" half of the rhythmic cycle. See also. Komal – lowered swara (represented by lower case letters: r g d n) Laya – tempo Matra - beat Palta-alankar – permutations & combinations of swaras Raga – melodic structure, characterized by a collections of 5, 6, or 7 (rarely 4) swaras moving in a particular aroha and avroha, having a particular order of importance and one or more characteristic phrases Saptak, sapta - octave Sargam – singing of pitch names, i.e., Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni Sa; also a type of study composition that uses pitch names instead of lyrics Sur – tune (besur – out of tune) Swara – pitch, note Thata – the basic scales from which various ragas can be built Tala – rhythm, rhythmic cycle/s Theka – the arrangement of bols in a particular tala Tivra – raised swara (represented by upper case letter or mark abov