Gamaka (Hindi: गमक / Urdu: گمک) (also spelled gamakam) refer to ornamentation that is used in the performance of North and South Indian classical music.[1] Gamaka can be understood as embellishment done on a note or between two notes. Present-day Carnatic music uses at least fifteen different kinds of ornamentation.[2] 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's individuality.[3] 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.[4] Nearly all Indian musical treatises have a section dedicated to describing, listing and characterising gamakas.[5]
The term gamaka itself means "ornamented note" in Sanskrit.[5] Gamakas involve the variation of pitch of a note, using oscillations or glides between notes.[6] Each raga 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.[7]
- ^ Kassebaum (2000), p93
- ^ Appreciating Carnatic Music by Chitravina N Ravikiran, Pub: Ganesh & Co
- ^ Prof. P Sambamoorthy (2005), South Indian Music – Vol I, Chennai, India: The Indian Music Publishing House, p. 18
- ^ Viswanathan, T (1977). "The Analysis of Rāga Ālāpana in South Indian Music". Asian Music. 9 (1): 13–71. doi:10.2307/833817. JSTOR 833817.
- ^ a b Powers, Harry S. (1958). "Mode and Raga". The Musical Quarterly. 44 (4): 448–460. doi:10.1093/mq/xliv.4.448.
- ^ Introduction to Gamak at the ITC Sangeet Research Academy
- ^ Menon, Raghava R. (1995). The Penguin Dictionary of Indian Classical Music. Penguin Books (India) Ltd. p. 61. ISBN 0-14-051324-8.