Improvising using a five note raag | Music | Quizalize & Oak National Academy

Starter quiz

What is the name of the musical structure that is like a question and answer?

'call and response' ✓
Match these musical elements to their meaning:

tempo

⇔

how fast or slow music is played ✓

dynamics

⇔

how loud or quiet music is played ✓

pitch

⇔

how high or low a note is ✓

structure

⇔

the way the music is organised ✓
Which of the following can we not do?

We can play the raag on a pitched instrument.

We can play a raag on the tabla drums. ✓

We can sing a raag.

We can improvise using a raag.
Match these Hindustani classical musical words to their meaning:

aaroh

⇔

the ascending notes in a raag (going up in pitch) ✓

avroh

⇔

the descending notes in a raag (going down in pitch) ✓

sargam

⇔

the name for the singing notes in Hindustani music - from Sa Re Ga ma ✓

raag

⇔

musical notes used to make a composition ✓

Exit quiz

Which three of the following are true statements?

We can use any notes to improvise in Hindustani classical music.

We can use any notes in a set raag to improvise in Hindustani classical music. ✓

We don't always know what our improvisations will sound like until we've played. ✓

We can change tempo and change dynamics when we improvise. ✓
Match the words to their meanings:

improvisation

⇔

creating music that hasn't been written down or played yet ✓

ras or rasa

⇔

Sanskrit word meaning 'juice' or 'essence', emotion felt in music/art ✓

dynamics

⇔

how loud or quiet the music is ✓

tempo

⇔

how fast or slow the music is played ✓
Ras or rasa is the Sanskrit word meaning 'essence' or emotion felt in a piece of art like our improvisations. Which two musical elements have we explored to suggest an emotion?

'tempo and dynamics' ✓
Which piece of advice would be useful to someone starting to improvise using a raag?

Use all of the notes in the raag.

Play quickly to keep it exciting.

Use just two or three notes from the raag. ✓

Use any notes to create a piece.

Worksheet

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Lesson Details

Key learning points

Improvising is creating music in the moment.
In Hindustani classical music, we can only improvise using the notes in the raag.
Improvisation does not need to be complicated and using fewer notes can effectively convey a feeling or emotion.
When we play a raag, we can add an emotion we want the listener to hear and feel. This is called ras or rasa.
Changing the tempo and the dynamics of our playing can give the music a different feel or emotion.

Common misconception

Improvisation is complicated and hard to do.

Using fewer notes and focusing on creating short improvisations can be very effective and help us to introduce the idea of conveying emotion through our music.

Keywords

Improvisation - creative, in-the-moment musical composition
Raag - musical notes used to make a composition (from Sanskrit language meaning ‘to colour’)
Tempo - how fast or slow the music is played
Dynamics - how loud or quiet the music is played or sung
Ras or rasa - Sanskrit word meaning essence (of a piece of music)