The Indian Music Notation System had been evolved on the similar lines of the Western Do Re Me. The basic notes of music will never change. Like in Western Music, notes are mainly categorized into seven notes i.e. Do Re Me Faa So La Ti, Indian music too is divided into seven main notes called Sa, Re Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, Ni.
Two noted musicians, Pandit Vishnu Digamber Paluskar and Pandit Vishnu Bhatkhande developed the Indian Music notation system to give Indian classical music a nasic framework.
Notation System of Pandit Paluskar:
The Notes (Swara), which do not have any symbol, either above or under them, when they are depicted in the hindi script, are natural notes (Shuddha Swara) of normal octave (Madhya Saptak). There are three octaves in Indian music, i.e. Mandra Saptak, Madhya Saptak and Teevra Saptak.
The notes bearing symbols like small, left to right slants or backward slash (Halant) under them are known as komal or Vikrit Swara. (usually lower than the natural swaras). Notes Re, Ga, Dha, Ni have lower notes or Komal Swaras .
Teevra or Vikrit Swara, which is only one in the Octave – “ma” is identified with a right to left slant or a forward slash beneath the teevra Ma.
Swaras having the symbol of a dot (.) above them are known to belong to the Mandra Saptak or the lower octave than the normal Madhya Saptak.
Swaras or notes bearing a small vertical line above them are known to belong to the Taar Saptak i.e. one octave higher than normal.
The smallest unit of rhythm is known as “Matra” in both Bhatkhande and Paluskar notation systems. In Paluskar system, for matra pause is symbolized by (x) sign, two matras by a sleeping “S”, one matra by (-), half Matra by (0), 1/4th matra by a small ‘u’ and 1/8th by a two ‘u’s one over the other.
For continuation of vocalization of a given note (s) symbol is used. If a specific letter of a word of the song needs to be prolonged the dot (.) symbol is used. Time of continuity depends on the number of (s) and (.) symbols.
Notes bearing 1/3, 1/6 etc symbols under them mean singing or playing as many swaras as the denominator within the time period of one Mantra.
A superimposed note is known as “Kan Swara” which means the main swara should be sung with a touch of the super imposed one.
Beginning of a Taal (Rhythm) is indicated by one (1) symbol, void is indicated by plus (+) symbol. All the subsequent beats are shown by ascending numerical order after “one” e.g. 2, 3 etc.
Notation System of Pandit Bhatkhande
Swaras which do not have any symbol either under them or above are recognized as Shuddha Swaras (Natural Notes).
Swaras having horizontal line under them are called “komal” swaras (semitone lower than the natural flat notes)
Swara with a vertical line above it, is called Teevra Swara (Sharp Note), which is semitone higher than natural one. There is one such swara and that is “Ma”. (the Western “Fa”).
Swaras bearing dot (.) under them belong to the “Mandra Saptak” (one octave lower than the normal).
Swaras with dot (.) above them belong to the “Taar Saptak”. (one octave above than normal).
Swaras with no dots either above or under them belong to the “Madhya Saptak” (Normal Octave).
Each (s) symbol stands for one Matra (smallest unit of Rhythm/Taal) and denotes the prolongation of preceding letter of a word of the given song.
Each (-) symbol stands for one matra prolongation of preceding swara (note).
(u), boat like symbol of scallop under more than one note (swara) together shows that all of them have to be sung or played within the time period of one matra.
An inverted bracket or boat like symbol or scallop is called Meend. This is used above a cluster of swaras wither descending or ascending in order. It would mean that the singer or the instrumentalist needs to produce an unbreakable melody from the first to the last note within the symbol. The symbol is more like an umbrella over the notes.
A superimposed note is known as “Kan Swara” which means the main swara should be sung with a touch of the super imposed one.
A Swara (note) in first bracket should mean that it is supposed to be sung in slight accompaniment of one preceding and one succeeding note.
A beginning of a Taal is symbolized by a plus (+) signs and is called “Summ”.
Void in a Taal (Rhythm) is indicated with (0) sign and is called “Khaali” which means empty.
Subsequent major beats after the first one are symbolized by ascending number 2,3, etc.
The process of vibration in instrumental composition is called as “Jam Jamaa”
Two dots beneath a swara indicates that the given Swara belongs to Aati Mandra Saptak – two octaves lower than normal.
Similarly two dots above the Swara means it belongs to the Aati Taar Saptak – two octaves higher than normal.
(*) asterisk symbol indicates silence for one matra.
(,) comma symbolizes one Matra Pause.
These two notation systems have paved the way for Indian classical music to gain popularity within the Indian subcontinent and globally as well. More and more foreign citizens have started taking interest in learning Indian Classical music because of its unmatched notation system and the melody that it produces.
Linus Orakles
http://www.authorclub.info/
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