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Year 4 - Music

Singing and playing a melody in a five note raag

Compose and Create: improvising within Hindustani classical music

Unit Summary

This unit explores the three main components of Hindustani classical music. Pupils hear rhythmic patterns played on the tabla drums and learn how to recite a taal using the spoken mnemonic syllables (bols). They create texture by adding an improvised raag using five notes, and finally add a drone.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to sing and play a melody using a raag.

Key Notes

  • In a raag, aaroh is the name the ascending notes and avroh is the name for the descending notes.
  • Raags can be played and sung - or both.
  • We can sing the notes in a raag using the sargam. The notes are Sa, Re, Ga, ma, Pa, Dha, Ni.
  • Sa, Re, Ga, ma, Pa, Dha, Ni can be played on C, D, E, F, G, A, B on our instruments.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • sargam: the name for the singing notes in Hindustani classical music
  • raag: musical notes used to make a composition (from Sanskrit language meaning 'to colour')
  • aaroh: the ascending notes in a raag (going up in pitch)
  • avroh: the descending notes in a raag (going down in pitch)

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • A raag can only be played on a sitar.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Explain the lesson in two key points.

In a raag, aaroh is the name the ascending notes and avroh is the name for the descending notes. Raags can be played and sung - or both.

2. What does this key word mean in this lesson? 'sargam'

the name for the singing notes in Hindustani classical music.

3. Correct this common mistake.

Mistake: A raag can only be played on a sitar. Correction: Raags can be sung too. They can also be played on other instruments. Common instruments used in Hindustani classical music include harmonium, flute, bansuri and sarod. In the classroom, a largely accessible instrument is a glockenspiel.

More Lessons In This Unit

Browse all guides in the Year 4 Music guide library.