Gamaka (also spelled gamakam) refer to ornamentation that is used in the performance of North and South Indian classical music. Gamaka can be understood as embellishment done on a note or between two notes. Present-day

Carnatic music Carnatic music, known as or in the Dravidian languages, South Indian languages, is a system of music commonly associated with South India, including the modern Indian states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, an ...

uses at least fifteen different kinds of ornamentation. Gamaka is any graceful turn, curve or cornering touch given to a single note or a group of notes, which adds emphasis to each

raga A ''raga'' or ''raag'' (; also ''raaga'' or ''ragam''; ) is a melodic framework for improvisation in Indian classical music akin to a musical mode, melodic mode. The ''rāga'' is a unique and central feature of the classical Indian music tradit ...

's individuality. ''Gamaka can be understood as any movement done on a note or in between two notes.'' The unique character of each raga is given by its gamakas, making their role essential rather than decorative in Indian music. Nearly all Indian musical treatises have a section dedicated to describing, listing and characterising gamakas. The term ''gamaka'' itself means "ornamented note" in

Sanskrit Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...

. Gamakas involve the variation of pitch of a note, using oscillations or glides between notes. Each

has specific rules on the types of gamakas that might be applied to specific notes, and the types that may not. Various commentators on Indian music have mentioned different numbers of gamakas. For example, Sarangadeva describes fifteen gamakas, Narada in ''Sangeeta Makaranda'' describes nineteen gamakas, and Haripala in ''Sangeet Sudhakar'' describes seven gamakas.

Types of gamakas in Indian music

#Tiripa #Sphurita #Kampita #Leena #Andolita #Vali #Tribhinna #Kurula #Aahata #Ulhasita #Humphita #Mudrita #Namita #Plavita #Mishrita

Carnatic music gamakas

has several ornamentation classes, which can be divided into major groups as shown in the table below. These and many more gamakas are mentioned in various treatises and compositions including Arohana (ascending patterns), Avarohana (descending patterns), ahata & pratyahata.Balasarasa murali - Keeravani krti of Oottukkadu Venkata Kavi Carnatic ragas can fall under several categories based on their tolerance and dependence on gamakas. For instance, those like Nayaki, Sahana, Devagandhari, Yadukulakambhodhi etc can never exist without key gamakas like kampita whereas ragas like Keeravani & Shanmukhapriya can sound acceptable with full or partial oscillations. Ragas like Hindola and Revati can be rendered with minimal oscillations.

Hindustani music gamakas

Hindustani music Hindustani classical music is the classical music of northern regions of the Indian subcontinent. It may also be called North Indian classical music or, in Hindustani, ''shastriya sangeet'' (). It is played in instruments like the violin, sit ...

has five gamakas. The gamaka is similar to

meend In Hindustani music, meend (Hindi: मीण्ड, ur, ) refers to a glide from one note to another. It is an essential performance practice, and is used often in vocal and instrumental music. On the veena, sitar, sarangi and other plucked str ...

and andolan.

Gamakas in musical notation

Notation for gamakas is generally not found in the Indian music system. There can be considerable difficulty in conveying the complex and fluid melodic movement of gamakas in a notation system that uses fixed pitch signs. In Carnatic music in particular, the notation of gamakas is often unnecessary, as performers use notation as a memory aid for compositions they already learned by hearing and imitating. However, there are some old scripts and books like the Sangeetha Sampradaya Pradarshini, which have specific signs to indicate the gamakas that have to be used for each note. Usage of such symbols makes it easier to understand the notation and to sing the composition.

Notes

References