Making Music – Class 4 Arts Chapter 10 Notes & NCERT PDF

Class 4ArtsChapter 10NCERT book: Bansuri - Arts Class 4

Notes and a simple summary of Chapter 10 of the NCERT Class 4 Arts book, with the official chapter PDF, flashcards, an MCQ quiz and an AI tutor for your doubts.

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Chapter 10: Making Music

Introduction

Making Music introduces Indian Classical Music. The book says it is a very ancient tradition that started from the Vedas and later developed into two main styles: Carnatic (South Indian) and Hindustani (North Indian). It was traditionally passed down by oral tradition: a student (shishya) spent many years with the guru and developed a very special bond.

What's in this Chapter

What is a Raga? A raga is a melodic form based on a set of notes, or swaras. The notes going up are the Arohana (Aroh), the ascending scale. The notes coming down are the Avarohana (Avroh), the descending scale.

What is Tala or Taal? It is a rhythm cycle used to measure time, giving a steady pattern of rhythm throughout the music. Before singing a composition, sing the raga's arohana and avarohana and keep count of the tala.

Carnatic songs

*Vande Meenakshi* by Muthuswami Dikshitar (1775–1835), a composer from the Thanjavur region of Tamil Nadu. He was one of the Trinity of Carnatic Music; around 500 of his compositions are known, mainly in Sanskrit. The song is in Raga Shankarabharanam (Arohana S R2 G3 M1 P D2 N3 S) and Eka tala, which has a cycle of four beats. A "Do You Know?" note says the Bengali rhyme Indi Bindi Shindi has a similar melody.

*Sri Gananatha* by Purandara Dasa, a composer, singer and Haridasa philosopher from Karnataka, revered as the Father of Carnatic music. The song is in Raga Malahari (Arohana S R1 M1 P D1 S) and Rupaka tala, which in Carnatic music has a cycle of 6 beats.

The language of rhythm. Rhythm can be spoken with syllables. In Carnatic music this is called Konnakkol, and in Hindustani music the syllables are called Bols. Three Konnakkol phrases to try are ta Ki Ta, ta Ka Dhi Mi and ta Ka Dhi Mi ta Ka Jhu Nu. Repeating a phrase makes a Konnakkol pattern. Children can perform with some doing Konnakkol, some singing and some keeping tala.

Hindustani music. A composition set to a particular raga and taal is a Bandish. Children learn one in Raga Bhupali, which has five notes (Aroh S R G P D S; Avroh S D P G R S). It is set to Teen Taal, a 16-beat taal with 4 vibhags (sections). The tali (clap) falls on beats 1, 5 and 13, and the khali (wave) on beat 9. Its bols are dha dhin dhin dha | dha dhin dhin dha | dha tin tin ta | ta dhin dhin dha. The Bandish is *Naman Kar Chatur* by Pt. Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande: "Naman kar chatur shri guru charana, Tan-man nirmal kar bhav-tarana…".

Key Ideas

Indian classical music has two main styles, Carnatic and Hindustani.

A raga is a set of notes with an ascending and a descending order.

Tala/taal is the rhythm cycle that measures time.

Rhythm can be spoken as Konnakkol (Carnatic) or Bols (Hindustani).

A Bandish is a Hindustani composition in a fixed raga and taal.

Words to Learn

Classical (शास्त्रीय)

Raga (राग): a melodic form

Arohana/Aroh (आरोह): notes going up

Avarohana/Avroh (अवरोह): notes coming down

Tala/Taal (ताल): rhythm cycle

Beat/Matra (मात्रा): one count of rhythm

Guru–shishya (गुरु–शिष्य): teacher and student

Composer (संगीतकार): a person who creates music

Bandish (बंदिश): a Hindustani composition

Konnakkol (कोन्नक्कोल): spoken rhythm syllables in Carnatic music

Tips for Parents & Teachers

Clap Teen Taal together: clap on 1, 5 and 13 and wave on 9.

Listen to Vande Meenakshi and Indi Bindi Shindi and compare the tunes.

Recite Konnakkol phrases like a game at different speeds.

Always sing the arohana and avarohana before the song.

Common Mistakes

Mixing up arohana (up) and avarohana (down).

Thinking Carnatic and Hindustani are the same style; they are two different styles.

Clapping on beat 9 in Teen Taal. Beat 9 is the khali (wave).

Losing count of the tala while singing.

💡 Key Learning Points

✓Indian Classical Music began with the Vedas and developed into Carnatic and Hindustani styles, passed on by the guru–shishya oral tradition.
✓A raga is a set of swaras with an ascending arohana and a descending avarohana.
✓Tala/taal is a rhythm cycle: Eka tala has 4 beats, Carnatic Rupaka has 6, and Teen Taal has 16.
✓Muthuswami Dikshitar composed 'Vande Meenakshi'; Purandara Dasa, the Father of Carnatic music, composed 'Sri Gananatha'.
✓Konnakkol and Bols are spoken rhythm syllables; a Bandish is a Hindustani composition in Raga Bhupali and Teen Taal.

👨‍🏫 Teaching Tips

→Use a tambura or app while singing ragas.
→Write the arohana and avarohana on the board and sing them before each song.
→Teach Teen Taal claps and waves with the whole class.
→Turn Konnakkol phrases into a call-and-response game.
→Split the class into singers, Konnakkol speakers and tala keepers for a performance.
→Share short stories about Dikshitar, Purandara Dasa and Bhatkhande.

📋 Assessment Questions

Does the child understand musical elements like raga and tala?
Can the child recite simple Konnakkol patterns?
Can the child sing the arohana and avarohana of a raga?
Can the child keep tala or tap a rhythm while listening to a song?
Is the child eager to learn new songs and forms of music?

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