Indian Classical Music

It would be kind to say this blog has been inconsistent and unfocused. In an effort to remedy both of those things I’m going to try to write a post each day about something I’ve learned that day.

I think this can help with a number of things, including:

• write more consistently
• cultivate intentional curiosity and learning
• contribute more value to the world

I may batch posts if I’m feeling particularly inspired and publish them later, in which case I’ll include the date that I wrote them in addition to the published date.

For today (3/9/2020) I’m going to start with Indian classical music. I was listening to the Tim Ferriss podcast #413 with Tyler Cowen and Mr. Cowen called Indian classical music perhaps the best music in existence. If that’s not the kind of endorsement that causes one to dig into something a bit then I don’t know what is.

I’ll admit I wasn’t sure what Indian classical music would sound like, but when I fired up the Indian Classical playlist on Spotify I immediately recognized the complex rhythmic sounds. I felt really energized and focused in my work as it formed the soundtrack to my afternoon.

Here’s an example from YouTube too:

A quick look at Wikipedia informed me that…

Indian classical music is the classical music of the Indian subcontinent. It has two major traditions: the North Indian classical music tradition is called Hindustani, while the South Indian expression is called Carnatic… Hindustani music emphasizes improvisation and exploring all aspects of a raga, while Carnatic performances tend to be short and composition-based.

Wikipedia

…and…

Indian classical music has two foundational elements, raga and tala. The raga, based on swara(notes including microtones), forms the fabric of a melodic structure, while the tala measures the time cycle. The raga gives an artist a palette to build the melody from sounds, while the tala provides them with a creative framework for rhythmic improvisation using time. In Indian classical the space between the notes is often more important than the notes themselves, and it does not have Western classical concepts such as harmony, counterpoint, chords, or modulation.

Wikipedia

So I’m a tiny bit smarter about music this evening than I was this morning and I’m happy for it. Check out some Indian classical music and let me know what you think!