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Introduction to Online Vocal Lessons for All Ages

Welcome to our online vocal lessons, where passion for singing meets the convenience of learning from home! Our comprehensive program is designed for students of all ages and skill levels, from beginners discovering their voice to seasoned singers seeking to refine their technique.

We offer personalized instruction in a variety of styles, including Hindustani Classical, Bollywood, Ghazal, Light Music, Semi-Classical, and Rabindra Sangeet. Each style is taught with a focus on vocal techniques, breath control, pitch accuracy, and performance skills.

Through interactive live sessions we ensure a flexible and engaging learning experience. Join us on a musical journey that fits your schedule, nurtures your talent, and helps you reach your singing goals. Whether you're aiming to perform on stage or simply enjoy singing as a hobby, our online vocal lessons provide the perfect platform to unlock your vocal potential.

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Knowing the Basic Notes

  • Sa (Sadaj) = Do
  • Re (Rishav) = Re
  • Ga (Gandhar) = Mi
  • Ma (Madhyam) = Fa
  • Pa (Pancham) = So
  • Dha (Dhaivat) = La
  • Ni (Nishad) = Ti
  • Sa (Sadaj) = Do
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Identification of Pitch

Pitch, tone, and volume are three most vital aspects of vocal delivery. Pitch is the highness or lowness of a voice, tone is the quality or mood of a voice, and volume is the loudness or softness of a voice.

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Idea of Scale

A scale is any set of musical notes ordered by fundamental frequency or pitch. A scale ordered by increasing pitch is an ascending scale, and a scale ordered by decreasing pitch is a descending scale.

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Warm-up Exercises

  • Practice of Straight Notes/ Long Note
  • Practice of Aakar
  • Practice of Omkar
  • Practice of systematic Ascending & Descending movements.
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Voice Throwing

Practice of proper breathing exercises to enhance the art of “throwing” the voice.

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Voice Modulation

Voice modulation is the fine-tuning of the pitch or tone of a voice to adopt a particular genre of vocal music.

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Notes Combination Practice (Palta)

Palta is the permutation and combination of musical notes which form a pattern in regular vocal practice. It is the initial phase of learning Hindustani music, different levels of Palta’s are taught to students for better knowledge of Swaras or notes.

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The Raga can be defined as a melodic structure of musical notes having specific character, and is governed by certain rules. The Raga is not merely a musical scale, but it is a characteristic arrangement of notes, its full potential and complexity can be realized only in its exposition. Ragas can be characterized by some features :

  • Ragas are derived from Thaats
  • Raga must not omit Shadja (Sa)
  • In a Raga, Madhyam and Pancham should never be omitted together
  • Raga should have a specific set of ascending and descending notes
  • Raga should have Vadi, Samvadi and Anuvadi Svaras
  • Raga should have at least five notes (one or two notes can be omitted)
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Thaat - Scales in Hindustani Music

There are seven Shuddha (pure notes) and five Vikrit Svaras (modified notes) in a Saptak. A set of seven chosen notes out of these twelve notes (seven pure and five modified notes) forms a Thaat. In other words, a Thaat is a musical scale with the seven notes arranged in their order of ascent (aroha). However,only the skeletal musical structure and is not meant to be sung which eventually gives rise to the Ragas.

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Practice of Basic Thaats

Bilawal, Kalyan, Khamaj, Bhairav, Poorvi, Marwa, Kafi, Asavari, Bhairavi and Todi.

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Aroha

  • A set of ascending notes in sequence is called Aroha.
  • For example (Aroha of Bilawal – sa re ga ma pa dha ni Sa)
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Avroha

  • A set of descending notes in sequence is called Avroha.
  • For example (Avroha of Bilawal – Sa ni dha pa ma ga re sa)
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Pakad or Phrases of a Raga

A specific sequence of notes, that is peculiar to each Raga, is called the Pakad or a phrase by which a listener can instantly recognize a particular Raga. For example, Pakad of Raga Yaman – ni re ga re sa, ni dha ni re ga

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Vadi Swar

The most prominent Swar in a Raga is known as the Vadi Svara. Its position is vital as it gives character to a Raga. This Swar is projected most frequently in the phrases of notes during the exposition of a Raga. For example, ‘Ga’ is the Vadi Swar of Raga Yaman.

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Samvadi Swar

The most important note next to Vadi Swar is called Samvadi Swar. The interval between the Vadi and Samvadi Swaras is either four or five notes. For example, Samvadi Swar of Raga Yaman is ‘Ni’.

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Anuvadi Swar

Apart from Vadi and Samvadi Swaras, all other Svaras in a Raga are Anuvadi, i.e, the Swaras that follow (the Vadi and the Samvadi). Even though their role in a Raga is to follow Vadi and Samvadi Swaras, Anuvadi Swaras have their own importance in a Raga. In the exposition of the Raga, these Swaras help in improvisation through different kind of permutation and combination. For example, In the Raga Yaman, Sa, Re, Ma, Pa and Dha are the Anuvadi Swaras.

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Vivadi Swar

Vivadi Swaras are the swaras which are not used in a particular Raga, but are incorporated in certain combinations of notes. Vivadi Svaras are used to enhance the beauty of the Raga. For example, in Raga Yaman, Shuddha Ma is projected to bring the beauty of yaman, but it is grammatically a vivadi swar.

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Samay

The Raga Samay or time specified for singing different Ragas is divided into eight parts of day and night. These are known as ‘Praharas’. There are four Praharas of the day and four Praharas of the night of three hours duration each in which Ragas are classified under three categories :

  • Ragas having use of Re & Dha Shuddha
  • Ragas having the use of Re & Dha Komal
  • Ragas having the use of Ga & Ni Komal.

Elements of Raga

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In Hindustani music, a composition is set to a particular ‘Taal’ or beat with definite intervals. The duration between these intervals gives us the measure of time. This is a virtual time that is created within the musical composition. The composition and elaboration of a Raga is rendered within the fixed cycle of the Taal.

The elements of Taal include :

Avartan, Matra, Laya, Bol, Theka, Vibhag, Sam, Khali and Tali.

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Avartan

The complete cycle of a given taal is called Avartan. It can be repeated more than once.

For Example, the Avartan of Teentaal is :

Matra 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Theka Dha Dhin Dhin Dha Dha Dhin Dhin Dha Na Tin Tin Ta Ta Dhin Dhin Dha
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Matra

The unit of Taal which indicates the measure of musical time is called Matra. Different Talas have the same number of Matras to its respective presentation, but there is change in the ascent in theka.

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Laya

The tempo of the musical time is referred to as ‘Laya’. There are three types of layas :

  • Vilambit laya - A slow tempo laya is called Vilambit.
  • Madhya laya - When the tempo is double that of Vilambit, it becomes Madhya laya.
  • Drut laya - When the tempo is double that of Madhya, it becomes Drut laya.
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Bol

The words used to specify the sound produced while playing a Taal are called ‘Bol’. These are mnemonic syllables like Dha, Dhin or tirkit etc. The ancient term for these was 'Patakshara'.

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Theka

The entire group of Bols or words of a Taal constitutes the Theka. Just as a ‘Bandish’ or composition in a musical form can be elaborated, Theka is the basic structure of a Taal which can be elaborated further using variations or improvisations.

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Vibhag

The Theka of a Taal is distributed into divisions called ‘Vibhag’. On the basis of the number of Matras in a Taal, different Talas have different number of divisions. For example, TeenTaal has 16 Matras that are divided into four Vibhags.

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Sam

The first Matra of a Taal upon which the entire emphasis of the rhythm is laid is called ‘Sam’. While singing and playing simultaneously the first beat is been given as the ‘Sam’.

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Tali

The Matra of a Taal that indicates the place of striking is called ‘Tali’. These are usually the starting Matras of a Vibhag and are more than one. Thus, the Sam becomes the first Tali follow by the other vibhag.

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Khali

The Matra of a Taal which acts as a counterpoise for the ‘Sam’ to balance the rhythmic cycle is called ‘Khali’. When the Theka of a Taal is recited orally along with hand gesture, the Khali is shown by palm facing upwards.

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Developing a Gayeki and Presentation of Pure Classical Vocal Music

After learning the basics, a learner will be able to explore some mainstream ragas like – Bilawal, Kalyan, Khamaj, Bhairav, Poorvi, Marwa, Kafi, Asavari, Bhairavi and Todi as well as render the traditional compositions in Khayal form.

Steps to learn a raga to develop a Khayal Gayeki -

  • Step 1 : Knowing the Aroha& Avroha of the raga
  • Step 2 : Knowing the basic phrases of the raga
  • Step 3 : Knowing the Vaadi & Samvadi notes (primary key notes) as well as other detailings like Anuvadi and Vivadi swaras, also Samay or time to perform a particular raga
  • Step 4 : Knowing a Sargamgeet composed on that particular raga (Learning both the Asthayi & Antara of the composed sargamgeet)
    * Notes – A sargamgeet is a song composed by the help of only swaras (notes) of a particular raga by using the basic phrases with the help of a taal as example teentaal (16beats), ektaal (12 beats) etc.
  • Step 5 : Know some traditional Bandishes on that particular raga
    * Notes – A Bandish is a lyrical composition just like a sargamgeet but, having a meaningful lyric to establish the raga to its fullest content with the help of a taal as example teentaal (16beats), ektaal (12 beats) etc.
    • Some examples of Bandishes in Yaman & Bhairav –
      Yaman - Piya Ki Nazariya Jadu Bhari or Eri Aali Piya Bina.
    • Bhairav - Jago Mohan Pyare etc.
  • Step 6 : Learning Bistaar’s to know the gradual unfoldment of a raga which is the most important aspect of a khayal gayeki
  • Step 7 : Learning Sargams, Aakaar Taans, Sapaat Taan, Bol Taans with the bandishwith the help of a taal as example teentaal (16beats), ektaal (12 beats) etc.
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Steps to learn Semi Classical Vocal Music (Bhajan, Geet, Ghazals)

  • Step 1 : Listening and understanding of a composition to know the lyrical value of the song.
  • Step 2 : Breaking down the song note-to-note to fit the lyric systematically.
  • Step 3 : Understanding the rhythm cycle [Practicing of Mukda (the main line of the song) repetitively to understand the phrases or lines in detail].
  • Step 4 : Understanding the stylistic approach of the song (A Bhajan should be sung in a devotion & spiritual mood whereas, a Geet which generally sound emotional and sensational should be sung sensibly)
  • Step 5 : Execution of the song.
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Steps to learn a bollywood song

  • Step 1 : Listening and understanding of a composition to know the lyrical value of the song
  • Step 2 : Breaking down the song note-to-note to fit the lyric systematically
  • Step 3 : Understanding the rhythm cycle
  • Step 4 : Understanding the stylistic approach of the song (Voice Throwing & Voice Culture)
  • Step 5 : Execution of the song (Practicing the song with soundtracks or karaoke)
  • BONUS
    Step 6 : Learning to compose Interlude & Prelude for self-assessment.
  • Step 7 : Learning some basic chords or modes of that particular song.