FREQUENTLY ASKED CARNATIC QUESTIONS IN EXAMS

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 

☆. What are the uses of learning music ?

@ To develop listening skills.

@ To improve memory power.

@ To improve concentration. 

@ Music gives pleasure.

☆ SANGEETHAM - It is an Indian term for music. A group of music sounds, which are called Swaras that give melody & pleasant feelings to the ears, is called Sangeetham. 

☆. Shruthi 

@ Shruthi is an audible sound that can be distinct, it is a musical sound that a well-trained human ear is capable of distinguishing. It is the keynote or Adhara Shadjam, based on which all other swaras are derived.

☆. Swara's

@ Swara's is a musical note which is pleasing to the ears. 

☆. How many Swars are there? Name them: -

@ 7 swaras are there Shadjam(s), Rishabham(r), Gandharam(g), Madhyamam(m), Panchamam(p), Dhaivatam(d), Nishadam(n).

☆. Name 2 types of swaras ?

@ Prakruyhi swaras or Achala swaras - s & p

Vikruthi swaras or Chala Swaras - r g m d n

In combination, ACHALA & CHALA swaras yield 12 different musical notes & they are called Dwadhasa Swarasthanas. 

☆. Difference between Arohanam & Avroham& what is Moorchana?

@ AROHANAM: Series of swaras in the ascending order of pitch.

@ AVAROHANAM: Series of swaras in the descending order of pitch.

@ MOORCHANA: Arohanam & Avarohanam together

☆. Sathyai

@ A series of swaras, beginning with s & ending with n, is called Sathyai. 5 Sthayi

1. Anumandra Sathyai - 

s.. r.. g.. m.. p.. d.. n..

2. Mandra Sathyai

s. r. g. m. p. d. n.

3. Madhya Sathyai 

s r g m p d n

4. Tara Sathyai 

S R G M P D N

5. Ati - Tara Sathyai 

S' R' G' M' P' D' N'

☆ VERTICAL BAR (|) - Tala division of Drutha or Anudrutha or Laghu.

☆ DOUBLE VERTICAL BAR (||) - end of 1 Tala cycle 

☆ DASH (-) - Separation of phrases. You must Sing so that each phrases is continuous & the notes are only split where the dashes occur.

☆. PURVANGA 

@ The group of first 4 swaras of the Spatha Swara's - s, r, g, m

☆. UTTHARANGA

@ The group of the last 3 notes - p, d, n 

☆. DATHU

@ The swara part of musical composition 

☆. MATHU

@ The Sahitya part of a musical composition 

☆. AKSHARA KALA 

@ Unit time in music 

☆. THOURYA TRIKAM

@ Vocal music, instrumental music & dance, all 3 combined together is referred to as THOURYA TRIKAM.

☆. What is Thrikakaala , Explain ?

@ THRIKAKAALA - Kala refers to the speed of the musical piece. There are 3 Kalas 

1. PRATHAMA KALA: First degree of speed, one note is sung in one Akshara Kala.

2. DWITIYA KALA: Second degree of speed, 2 notes are sung in 1 Akshara Kala. Twice faster than prathamkala.

3. TRITIYA KALA - Third degree of speed, 4 notes are sung in 1 Akshara Kala. Twice faster than Dwitiyakala.

☆. AVARTHA

@ It is the completion of a Tala angas or time measure.

☆. ANGAS, SHADANGES

@ In order to facilitate easy & accurate method of reckoning musical time. 6 angas have been devised. They are known as Shadanges or 6 Angas. They are 

1. LAGHU - I - 3/4/5/7/9 Akshara's - 1 beat + count of the fingers

2. DRUTHA - O - 2 Akshara's - 1 beat + 1 wave (usi / visarjitam)

3. ANUDRUTHA - U - 1 Akshara - 1 beat of the palm on the lap

4. GURU - 8 - 8 Akshara's 

5. PLUTAM - I - 12 Akshara's 

                        8

6. KAKAPADAM - + - 16 Akshara's 

☆. Which is the place of Mayamalava Gowla Raga?

@ 15th Melakartha Raga 

☆. What is the difference between Jathi & Tala ?

@ Jathi indicates the number in Laghu.

@ Tala indicates the combination of Laghu & Drutha.

☆. How many Jathis & Talas are there?

@ There are 5 Jathis & 7 Talas.

☆. Name the Jathis & Talas with angas 

@ Jathis -

1. Trishra - 3 kriyas

2. Chaturashra - 4 kriyas

3. Khanda - 5 kriyas

4. Mishra - 7 kriyas

5. Sankeerna - 9 kriyas 

@ Talas / Sapta talas - Musical time or measure

1. Dhruvatala - 1 Laghu 1 Drutha 2 Laghu - 14 Akshara's 

2. Mathyatala - 1 Laghu 1 Drutha 1 Laghu - 10 Akshara's 

3. Roopakatala - 1 Drutha 1 Laghu - 6 Akshara's 

4. Triputatala - 1 Laghu 2 Drutha - 7 Akshara's 

5. Jhampetala - 1 Laghu 1 Anudrutha 1 Drutha - 10 Akshara's 

6. Attatala - 2 Laghu 2 Drutha - 14 Akshara's 

7. Ekatala - 1 Laghu - 4 Akshara's 

☆. What does Geetha means & what are the types of Geetha ?

@ Geetha generally means a song. The union of Dhatu & Matu is also known as Geetha, ie., the union of music & words ( Swaras & Sahitya) is said by the learned to constitute a Geetha. Geethas are the simplest of melodies. The term Geetha literally means a song. But in music it signifies a particular type of composition.

Geethas are learnt after a course in the preliminary swaras exercise & Ahankara. There are Geethas in all the Septatalas & their varieties. 

Geethas are of 2 kinds - 

1. Samanyageetha ( Sanchari / Sadharana / Lakshyageetha)

2. Lakshanageetha

SAMANYAGEETHA - Usually in praise of God,musical luminaries & Acharyas. 

LAKSHNA GEETHA - In Lakshana Geetha, Sahityam will describe the lakshana of Raga in which the Geetha is set to. There will be a small Deiva Stuti too.

1. MELAM / JANYAM : Is the Raga a Melakartha or a derivate Raga ( janya raga) based on a melam.

2. BASHANGA / UBHANGA RAGA

3. Whether the Raga is AUDAVA, SHADAVA or SAMPOORNA RAGA.

4. AROHANA & AVAROHANA of the Raga.

5. VAKRAM / VARJAM - If there's any Vakram or varjam in Arohana / Avarohana of the Raga. 

6. JIVA , NYASA( ending note) & GRAHA (starting) swaras of the Raga. 

GANAKRAMA - Order of singing a Geetha 

Geethas are sung from the beginning to the end without repeating the Avatars.

Different categories of SADHARANA GEETHA 

1. PILLARI GEETHA - Geethas written in praise of God like Vighneshwara, Mahesara, Mahavishnu etc are called PILLARI GEETHA.

EXAMPLE : Sri Gananatha in Malahari Raga, Rupaka Tala.

2. GANA RAGA GEETHA - Geethas written in Gana Ragas like Nata, Gowla, Arabi, Sri Ragam, Varaali are called GANA RAGA GEETHAS.

EXAMPLE : Re Re Sri Rama in Arabi Raga, Triputa Tala.

3. RAKTHI RAGA GEETHA - Geethas set to Rakthi Ragas like Mohana & Kalyani are called RAKTHI RAGA GEETHAS. 

EXAMPLE : Vara Veena in MohanaRaga, Rupaka Tala.

4. RAGA MALIKA GEETHA - In a same geetha, if more than 1 Raga is used, it's called RAGA MALIKA GEETHA. This type of Geethas are not in use today. 

VARNAM

@ The Sahityam part of a Varnam is very minimal, & mostly of Bhakti or Srungara Rasam.

@ Varnam are compositions under Chitra - Tharav- Margam. So there are 4 Aksharams per Kriya.

@ A Varnam has 2 parts - 

1. PURVANGA 

2. UTHARANGA

PURVANGA - 

1. Pallavi 

2. Anu Pallavi 

3. Muukthayi Swarams

UTTHARANGA 

1. Charanam

2. Ethugada Swarams ( Chitti Swarams)

Types of Varnams

1. THANA VARNAM 

2. PADHA VARNAM 

3. RAGAMALIKA VARNAM

☆. Name 3 famous Carnatic Violin Artists ?

@ L.Subramaniam , Delhi P Sundar Rajan, Kala Ramnath

☆. Name few famous Carnatic Flute Artist ?

@ N.Ramani, Vijay Venkat, K.Bhaskaran, & Shashak Subramanya 

☆. Name few famous Veena Artist ? 

@ E.Gayatri, S.Balachander, Kalpakam Swaminatham, Rugmini Gopalakrishnan

☆. Biography of Purandara Dasaru 

☆. What are the parts of Violin , Flute

☆ Name 5 Composers who composed Geethas 

@ Enadi Sisters - Lakshmi, Narayani

@ Govindhacharya

@ M. S . Ramaswamy Iyer 

@ Muthialpet Seshayyar / Kulla Seshayyar

@ Mysore Vasudevacharya

@ Paidala Gurumurthy Sastry

@ Patnam Subrahmanya Iyer 

@ Rama Mathya

@ Ramanadapuram Seenuvasa Iyengar

@ Selam Meenakshi & daughter's Pappa, Radha 

@ Sri Purandara Dasaru 

@ Thiruvotriyur Thyagayyar

@ Thiruvaadi Krishnaswamy Iyer 

@ Thirukkodikkaval Krishnayyar

@ Tiger Varadhachariar

@ Venna Kuppaiyar 

@ VenkataMakhi