HINDUSTANI CLASSICAL MUSIC SERIES GUIDES
Below, you’ll notice a 5-Step breakdown to learning Hindustani Classical Music. We’ll explain these steps from the bottom up. We’ll use Learning a Language as symbolism for learning HCM.
- 5: The base or the foundation is what can be learned by simply reading, studying, and understanding. Consider these your ABCs of HCM.
- 4: The step above that is learning your Raag and Raag Structures, Notes, Characteristics, etc. Basically, everything to do with Raag is learned at this level. This step is a mixture of studying and experimenting. Consider this step as learning full sentences.
- 3: Now is the stage where we put all that we learned together. We are no longer going to spell out individual letters separately. In fact, now we’ve learned to join these letters and form words and sentences.
- 2. Knowing is not enough. We need to practice. The practice allows the information to become second nature for our subconscious and helps it become part of our muscle memory. It is said that, “One Who Practices What Is Learned, Enjoys It’s Bliss.” For not practicing, simply tells our subconscious that it’s not worth remembering.
- 1. Finally, experience is what it is all about. Be aware, that one is the time experience which is quantified by how long you’ve practiced something. Another is a quality experience, which is a bit more subjective and relates to how long you’ve been good at practicing. And thirdly, is the experience itself. Which is measured by how this practice makes you feel.
Remember! HCM stands for Hindustani Classical Music.
Chapter 1 – Sur, Sargam, and Saptak: Explains concepts of Sur, Sargam, Arohi/Amrohi, and Saptak very briefly.
Chapter 2 – Types of Sur: Focuses only on the 4 types of Sur that are vaguely introduced in chapter 1.
Chapter 3 – Introduction to Raag: Introduces the reader to Raag and its variety of different characteristics.
Chapter 4 – Go Further, Learn Raag: We finally start our journey in Raag Bhairavi and Raag Bilaval.
Chapter 5 – Transposing Music: We talk about transposing our Kharaj, a topic hardly anyone ever mentions.
List of 10 Thaat and Thaat Families: The 10 Thaat are discussed here at some length. Do not confuse them with Raag!
7 Laws of Music: I’m simply going to list each law of music with its short description for you to get a sense of these rules.
- Learn Late Evening Raag Aiman
- Learn Early Morning Raag Ahir Bhairav
- Learn Late Night Raag Basant
- Learn Early Morning Raag Bhairav
- Learn the Late Morning Raag Bhairavi
- Learn the Mid-Night Raag Darbari
- Learn the Late Evening Raag Desh
- Learn the Midnight Raag Durga
- Learn the Midnight Raag Kafi
- Learn the Late Evening Raag Khamaj
- Learn the Mid-Night Raag Malkauns
- Learn the Late Morning Raag Miyan Ki Todi
- Learn the Afternoon Raag Pilu
- Learn the Late Afternoon Raag Purvi
- Learn the Night Raag Rageshri
- Learn the Late Night Raag Shahana
- Learn the Late Evening Raag Yaman
NOTE – I am happy to help the visitors with Hindustani Classical Music. Although I understand Taal Music well enough, I do not consider myself to be a worthy mentor in that field. I take my ignorance of teaching Taal Music with great humility. And I’m happy to guide you all to an alternative website made precisely for understanding Taal Music. Please visit the link below to my good friend David Courtney’s website. David has been a professional Tabla artist since 1972. Not only that, but he’s extremely good at the craft of teaching itself.