Please Don't Stop

 

the Music

 

By: Erin K and Taylor M

A2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Introduction
             Music in India depends on the generation of the person. However, all music in India sticks to its roots. The inspiration for any kind of music comes from religious traditions, expression of one's cultural, and purely for the purpose of entertainment. Indian music has had many subcategories develop over its long and prosperous history. Classical Indian music is often rooted from the Vedas and comes from a form of meditation. It is usually fixated on one single melody that is played throughout the whole song. Indian folk music has become very dance-oriented and has even become a pop sensation in the UK and the United States, and its most common form is called Bangra. The biggest form of pop music in India comes from the musical love stories of India in the famous Bollywood movies. Music from the West has somehow infiltrated Indian bordes. Rock and mainstream hip-hop have found its way into the lives of the people of India. Since the 1970s artists such as The Beatles, The Black Eyed Peas, Timbaland, Jimi Hendrix, John Lenon, and Led Zepplin have toured and made their music famous throughout India, and have even inspired Indian rock and hip-hop groups to form such as Indus Creed, Parikrama, Therma and a Quarter, Zero, Half Step Down,  PRITHVI, Nexus, and Pentagram. However even after all these bands have formed from Western influences, music from Bollywood movies is still by far the most popular type of music in India.

          The Indian instruments represented in this picture are examples of older and more traditional versions of Indian music. The serangi is a short necked lute. It is an important bow instrument of India's Hindustani classical music traditions. It is in a box shape and usually has two types of strings. The three short ones are played with a horsehair bow, and their rest are called resonant strings. Another instrument from this picture called the tabla. These are Indian percussion drums are often played in classical and often religious music. There are usually two drums being played at once,  the smaller drum is played by the dominant hand, and the larger by the weaker hand. Both the sarangi and the tabla are at their best when made with videsal wood. The shehnai is a flute type instrument that is often thought to bring good luck, and in turn is played at many marriages and processions in Northern India. It has between six and nine holes and contains a double reed. The shehani is thought to be derived from the punji, which was originally used for snake charming. All of these instruments have all been used since the time of the snake charmers of India and are still used in today's society in activities such as weddings, processions, religious ceramonies, and family gatherings.

 

 

 

      This picture is the best representation of the tug of war occuring in India right now. The image protrays an Indian woman dressed head to toe in traditional clothing, holding an elaborate zither made of gold in her lap. But across her chest, an electric guitar is supported by the zither. Although the guitar does not fit in with the rest of the scenery, it is still an important part of the picture. Music in India is rapidly becoming more diverse. Instead of just listening to music that is played during religious ceramonies and weddings, solo artists are developing their own style of music and bringing musical genres such as pop, hip-hop, rock, and alternative to India. And these new types of music are even blending with the traditional instuments to create a style unique to India alone.                                                            

 

 

 

 

       Many people across America tune in on Tuesdays and Wednesdays every week to watch American Idol on Fox, but did you know that there was an Indian Idol? Ideas from Western cultures are being imported and adapted into Indian culture every day in many different ways, and one of those ways is through music. Indian Idol is a popular television show in India that uses a contest format to find the best young talent in India. Indian Idol is now in its fourth season, and is continuing to grow. Even though there can only be one winner, the other 11 finalists often go into careers in entertainment such as the music industry and are even actors in the famous Bollywood films. Viewers watch Indian Idol faithfully, so faithfully that in the season three finale, nearly 70 MILLION votes were casted. Music is still plays an active role in shaping society, and is rapidly changing along with the music tastes of the young, the old and everybody in between.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This video shows the very traditional side of Indian music as seen

by the instruments they play throughtout the video. 

 

 

 MOCK DIALOGUE

(between an traditional indian mother and her teenage daughter)
Setting- in the car on the way to school
                   ( driving )
 Mom: Priya, could you please put in that CD of the sargani intrument?
Priya: MOM! ..you know how much I hate that instrument. And plus, its like OLD people music.
               Who listens to this kinda stuff anymore?
Mom: You should be greatful to even hear such beautiful music from the sargani! It's important to our culture, you know.
Priya: Whatever mom. I wanna listen to something I actually like.

             (turns on Channel 955)

 

   ~ mom hears rap/hip-hop music~

 

Mom: What kind of music is this? I can't even understand what they are saying!!

           I told you to PUT in that CD now young lady!

           Are you listening to me?

 

Priya: MOM! It's 2008 for god's sake. This is what like every teenager listens to!

         And plus, I like it.

 

MOm: If you don't change it now, don't think I won't stop you! How dare you talk back to me?

           I'm going to tell your father about your A- in math tonight!!

 

Priya: WHAT does that have to do with anything!??

          Don't you know that many Bhangra dances use this kind of music in the background?

 

Mom: Really?

 

 

Priya: It's not that I hate traditional indian music, but times have greatly changed!

          Soon enough, you'll have to understand the changes going through in our culture.

 

Mom: FINE.

 

 Priya: So, you understand what I'm trying to say?

 

Mom: Yeah..I guess so.

          But I'm still going to tell your father about your A-!

 

Priya: UGHH. MOM!

 

Mom: WHAT? Like you said.

          It doesn't have to do with anything.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Works Cited

Image < http://www.infovisual.info/04/005_en.html>. 2 May 2008

Image < http://maxupload.com/img/AB01AF67.jpg>. 2 May 2008                                                                

Image <http://psychevanhetfolk.homestead.com/files/sarasvati_sitar___baby_sitar.jpg>. 2 May 2008

 


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