Indian Classical Music & Instruments

In Indian classical music, the three integral components inherent to nearly all pieces include the raga, a single melodic line, a constant fixed note also described as a ______, and the tala which encapsulates the overarching rhythm.

The tabla, a percussion instrument fundamental in Indian classical music, consists of two drums, the dayan typically crafted from ______, and the bayan typically crafted from metal.

The ______, utilized in Indian classical music, possesses only the capability to produce the drone aspect, achieved through four elongated strings which are plucked sequentially, therefore lending an atmosphere and governing the mode or scale, integral to the raga.

In the construction of the tabla, the drumheads are covered with either goat or ______ hide and different parts make different sounds.

The ______, a drone-generating instrument within Indian classical music, is characterized as a compact reed-free organ devoid of keys, employing bellows manually operated to produce the drone tone.

Within the framework of Indian classical music, a ______ is affixed to the center of both drumheads, composed of a fusion of flour and iron filings, which, upon repercussion, begets a bell-like resonance.

The ______, pivotal in Hindustani music, empowers the solo singer to create variations for the melody line, also known as the raga, and vary in mood, incorporating traditional accompanying instruments such as the tabla and sitar.

The ______ is a long-necked string instrument, integral to Indian classical music, characterized by three distinct sets of strings.

Within the tripartite string configuration of the sitar, one set comprising four strings furnishes the ______, another involving two or three strings tenders a rhythmic ostinato (drone), and the terminal assortment embodying nine or thirteen sympathetic strings vibrates beneath, bestowing upon the sitar its distinctively jangling timbre.

Although the music varies between different parts of India, the pieces share the common idea of having three main parts: the ______, a single melody line, accompanied by a constant fixed note (a drone), and the tala, which is the rhythm.