Aspect
Aspect
Geographical Origin
Hindustani music originated in North India, particularly in the regions of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Rajasthan.
Carnatic music originated in South India, particularly in the states of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Karnataka.
Raga System
Consists of a scale with specific ascending and descending patterns. These are known as aroha and avaroha, respectively.
Has a more extensive repertoire of ragas compared to Hindustani music. The ragas have fixed structures and intricate melodic patterns known as gamakas.
Tal System
The most common talas include:
teental (16 beats),
ektaal (12 beats), and
jhaptaal (10 beats).
Carnatic music uses a different tal system called tala. It has a wide variety of talas, including:
adi tala (8 beats),
rupaka tala (6 beats), and
misra chapu (7 beats).
Instruments
Instruments include sitar, sarod, tabla, harmonium, flute, and santoor. These instruments are used to accompany vocal performances and also for solo performances.
Instruments used include the veena, violin, mridangam, ghatam, flute, and kanjira. The violin is particularly prominent in Carnatic music and is often used as a solo instrument.
Performance Style
A more introspective and meditative style characterizes hindustani music.
The performances are often longer, and the artists explore the emotional and aesthetic aspects of the ragas.
The use of alap (slow, improvised introduction) and jor (medium-tempo development) before entering the main composition is common.
Carnatic music is known for its energetic and lively performances.
The emphasis is on rhythmic precision and intricate patterns.
The performances typically include compositions with composed lyrics and structured improvisations.
The artists often engage in raga elaboration, followed by the rendering of composed pieces, including varnams, kritis, and ragam-tanam-pallavi (RTP).