GLOSSARY OF TERMS- An Indian Art.
madan tal – An obscure tal of three or 12 beats.
madhumalati tal – An obscure tal of 16 beats.
madhya lay – Medium tempo.
madhya saptak – The middle octave.
madhyam – The fourth note of the scale (Ma).
magadh tal – An obscure tal of 23 beats.
maha tal – A non-standard name for tintal.
mahaadi lay – Double tempo of adi lay. (i.e., tigun)
mahabiadi lay – Double tempo of biadi lay.
mahakuadi lay – Double tempo of kuadi lay.
mahanat tal – An obscure tal of 14 or 16 beats.
Maharashtra – A state in western India
mahasen tal – An obscure tal of 20 beats.
mahavraj tal – An obscure tal variously considered to be of 8, 12 or 20 beats.
mahesh tal – An obscure tal of nine beats.
mahfil – A gathering, usually for poetry or music.
maidan – The main resonating membrane of tabla or pakhawaj. makarandakirti tal – An obscure tal of 17 beats.
malla tal – An obscure tal, some say of 21 beats, others say 13.
mallikatamode tal – An obscure tal of 16 beats.
mandra saptak – The lower octave.
mani tal – An obscure 11 beat tal.
manipuri – A classical dance style from the northeastern state of Manipur.
manjira – Small cymbals.
manmath tal – An obscure tal of 20 beats.
mansij tal – An obscure tal of 21 beats.
manthika tal – An obscure tal of 13 beats.
marg – 1) Describing the music of the gandharvas or celestial beings. 2) An ancient concept regarding the pauses between the beats. There were four types of marg: dhruva marg, chitra marg, vartik marg, and dakshan marg. marg nishabd kriya – An ancient concept regarding timekeeping with the hands, performed so that sound was not produced. This was specifically used in the marg sangeet.
marg sashabd kriya – An ancient concept regarding timekeeping with the hands, performed so that sound was produced (e.g., snapping of fingers, clapping of hands etc.). This was specifically used in the marg sangeet.
marg tal – A tal of the celestial beings, opposite of deshi tal.
marichi tal – An obscure tal of 26 beats.
masitkhani gat – A slow form played by sitar, sarod, santur and other instruments.
Matang – The author of the Brihaddeshi.
mathya tal – An obscure tal variously considered to be 8, 10, or 16 beats.
matra – The beat.
matt gayand tal – An obscure tal of 19 beats.
matt tal – An obscure tal of nine or 18 beats.
mattavijay tal – An obscure tal of 13 beats.
mayur tal – An obscure tal of 17 beats.
meend – A slide.
megh malhar – A rag which is associated with the rainy season.
mira – A great woman saint.
mirasi – A low caste Muslim community of hereditary musicians.
misra jati – Any rhythm based upon 1 3/4, 3 1/2, 7, 14, etc. beats.
mithilesh tal – An obscure tal of 20 beats.
mitti bayan – A bayan made of clay.
mizrab – A pick worn on the finger to play sitar.
mohan tal – An obscure tal of 12 beats.
mohani tal – An obscure tal of three beats.
mohara – A short composition with a tihai which ends on sam.
mridang – Any two headed barrel shaped drum of the pakhawaj variety.
mridanga yati – An ancient rhythmic form which begins slow, becomes fast towards the middle and again becomes slow towards the end.
mridangam – A south Indian mridang.
mukhada – A very small phrase or composition ending on sam. It may or may not have a tihai.
mukheda – See mukhada.
mundi – A term use by Banarasi musicians to indicate khali.
murali – A flute.
murchana – Modulation, or the process of deriving a new mode by shifting the tonic of an existing mode.
murchang – A jew’s harp.
