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  • Essay / An Analysis of South Indian Classical Music

    When you listen to music from regions such as South Asia, there are many common aspects in their music and song direction. To begin with, especially in the song “Vina Bheri”, many instruments are used to create the overall rhythm of the song. I would say this song works together to form more of a dance beat than a melody. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essay The first instrument used in this song is most obviously the sitar, which is an instrument commonly found in produced music in South Asia, and is identified as a chordophone, because it consists of several long strings stretched over a wooden body to produce its sound. The sound produced by the sitar is very distinct and easy to distinguish from other chordophones because the sitar has a characteristic “lush background hum” that is produced from its sympathetic strings resonating with the plucked string. After that, it's obvious that there is also some use of the membranophone in the song, as someone can be heard hitting a very hollow-sounding drum in the background. The instrument they use in their Indian classical music is very similar to bongos, but has some slight differences. The instrument is called a tabla and is made up of two connected drums, one larger than the other, played by striking the hand on the surface. The interesting thing about the tabla played as a membranophone in the song is the fact that it takes a lot more to play them rather than just "hand beating" them. The hands and palms are used in complex configurations to create the wide variety of rhythms and sounds we hear in the song Vina Bheri. The complex configurations that produce the different sounds are reflected in the mnemonic syllables; so we put a lot more thought into playing them than simply “beating” them. Another interesting aspect of the song is the use of the singer's voice. We often don't think of the voice as an "instrument" like we would a guitar or flute, but the singer can manipulate and control their voice as if they were playing an instrument. This is particularly illustrated in the song Vina Bheri, where we hear the singer's voice undergo various changes to reflect the rhythm of the song. Sometimes she uses methods that closely resemble throat singing influences, where she is able to control the vibrations of her voice. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay vocals play a lot in the structure of the song, as it starts very slowly and builds up over time, inciting an element of suspense. In much Indian classical music, the themes of their songs revolve around Hinduism and tall tales of Hindu deities. These shows that include music and dance are called "Raga", where performers dance to classical music and dress in elaborate festive wardrobes to represent these epic tales of the deities. They spend years mastering dances, which include various difficult movements of the facial muscles and fingers. The songs vary in pace, starting slowly as they move into the story and when the story becomes suspenseful, the music reflects this. I think this song respects the structure of Raga because it uses the same genre of Indian music and is structured in the same way where the rhythm speeds up with time and the instruments and range..