Music Glossary: O - Z
Odava A scale of five notes.
Pakkad The typical formations of phrases
of notes in a particular raga by which the raga is known.
Pallavi The first section (Asthayee) of a
composition in Karnataka music.
Palta Progression of a combination
of notes in ascending and descending order.
Pandit Learned one, a
master-musician who has learned music as an art and science.
Poorvanga The first half of the
scale from ‘sa’ to ‘ma’.
Powada A folk form of Maharashtra,
sung as patriotic songs.
Raaga Indian Music has scales of
different permutations and combinations of the 12 notes of the scale. It is
bound by some rules. Each scale has aesthetic values and moods of its own. The
singing style differs according to the Raaga
Raagam Alaap of Karnataka music.
Raagamalika A composition in
Karnataka music (Also rendered in North Indian concerts) Each stanza is woven in
a different Raaga. It is like a garland of Raagas
Sampoorna A scale containing all 7
notes
Samvadi The next important,
concordant note after the Vadi.
Sanchari The 2nd stanza of a
Dhrupad
Saptak An octave
Sargam The solfa syllables
Sargamgeet A musical form, its text is
made of notations (solfa type)
Shadav A scale containing 6 notes
Shadja he keynote of Indian Music.
It is like the ‘do’ of Solfa Notation.
Shastrakar A person who has
complete knowledge of the theories new and old of music. He may or may not be a
performer.
Shikshak One who teaches (music)
Shloka A Sanskrit verse, devotional
or philosophical.
Shruti 1. A microtone 2. The
distance between two successive musical frequencies of an octave a human ear can
differentiate and perceive. There are 22 such Shrutis in an octave.
Shuddha Swar A pure note.
Sthayee (Asthayee) The first section of
text of the music form usually sung in the middle octave.
Swar A note
Swarantar Musical interval
Taan A rapid succession of
notes.
Taar Saptak The upper octave
Tabla A rhythm instrument played
solo and used for accompanying North Indian Music. It includes the tabla and
dagga or otherwise known as dayan and bayan.
Taal Rhythmic cycle.
Tanpura (Tambura) A musical
instrument which is a part of practically all classical musical concerts of
Indian music. It is a drone instrument.
Tappa It is a semi classical rare
form of music sung in fast tempo. It is improvised with a typical style of fast
movements if notes.
Tarana A North Indian form of
classical music. Its text includes meaningless words like tanana,
dirdirdir,tadani,etc. It usually has a fast tempo.
Teevra Sharp
Thaat It is a theorotical
musical scale with 7 notes. The Raagas are derived from the Thaats.
Thillana It is form of Carnatak
music, resembling the tarana of North India. Many times, it also includes
meaningful words and mridanga bols.
Thumri A semi-classical form of
music; its text is based on love and ecstasy.
Tigun Three times the basic tempo
Tihai Short phrases played three
times, ending on the first beat of the rhythm cycle.
Tora (Toda) Fast runs and repeated
note passages.
Trivat A rare form of music. Its
text includes words like dirdir, tanana, tadare, etc. like a tarana along with
the bols of the tabla or mridanga.
Ustad A learned one, a master-musician.
Uttaranga Second half of a scale, from
‘pa’ to the upper ‘sa’
Vaadi The predominant note of the
scale.
Vaggeyakar One who composes the lyric and the music of a song or musical
form
Vakra Swar notes with a twisted
nature; which are used only with typical phrases of notes
Vakra Taan Twisted phrases of notes
with a fast tempo
Varjya Not included, excluded
Vilambit Slow tempo.
Vistara Improvisation of a raga or a
particular note or phrases of notes.
Vivadi A note that is not included in
a Raaga