Carnatic Music is one of two main sub genres of Indian Classical Music and is very much popular in the states like Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
Carnatic Music is strictly adhered to Sruti which is referred to as Musical Pitch. It is said that Sruti is evolved from the chanting ‘Om’. There are 7 primary notes in music also called Saptha Swaras. They are:
- Sa (Shadjam)
- Ri (Rishabham)
- Ga (Gāndhāram)
- Ma (Madhyamam)
- Pa (Panchamam)
- Dha (Dhaivatham)
- Ni (Nishādam)
In these, Shadjam(Sa) and Panchamam(Pa) are called Achala Swaras which means they never change. Rishabham(Ri), Gāndhāram(Ga), Madhyamam(Ma), Dhaivatham(Dha) and Nishādam(Ni) has variants. When the varieties of notes combines, they become a Rāgam.
Next is the Tālam. Tālam refers to a measure of time and is formed mainly with three basic components. They are:
- Laghu (beat & fingering)
- Drutam (beat & wave)
- Anudrutam (beat)
The rāgam that a beginner in Carnatic Music learns first is ‘Māyāmālavagaula‘ and in the case of tālam, Ādi tālam is the first one.