Significance Of The Four Basic Elements Of Carnatic Music Throughout Its History

The basics of Carnatic music feature four elements, namely: Shruti, Swara, Raga, and Tala. The foundation and improvisation of Carnatic music involve the optimum utilization of these four components. Like any other significant piece of Indian culture, the evolution of Indian classical music portrays a divine form of art. Mainly popular in the southern parts of India, the system of Carnatic music is credited with being an important subgenre of Indian classical music; the other being Hindustani music. Although certain differences exist in terms of style and composition, it is worth mentioning that both Carnatic and Hindustani music has witnessed the application of the same basic features; thus occupying a prominent role in the history of Indian classical music.

Shruti in Carnatic music is regarded as being equal to a tonic in Western music. All other notes in a musical composition are derived using Shruti as the base note. The general perception regarding Shruti is that it is the smallest gradation of pitch that is audible to a human ear or for a musical instrument to perform. Swara, another prominent feature of Carnatic music, provides emphasis on a single note capable of producing a musical sound. Swara pinpoints the relative position of a note, instead of highlighting any definite frequency of it. Significant differences exist between the Swara and the Shruti in Indian classical music. However, certain Carnatic musicians tend to believe that as both of them are Nadas, they are closely interrelated.

The set of prescribed rules for constructing a musical composition or building a melody in Carnatic music is defined as a Raga. From specifying upward and downward movement of music notes to the scales based on which such notes ought to played, Ragas are the collection of obligatory events that require proper observation for a Carnatic musical composition to be performed with absolute perfection.

Most Carnatic music singers follow a certain beat in the form of hand gestures and movements while performing a Carnatic tune. They track the time it takes for every beat to rise and fall simultaneously. A Tala forms the fourth and the last basic element of Carnatic music that refers to a fixed time cycle or meter in relation to any Carnatic melody. It represents a certain number of beats that occur within a song. Usually, a Tala consists of three basic parts, namely laghu, dhrtamand anudhrtam.