Kerala's music goes far beyond the film song, and knowing what you are hearing turns noise into structure. Start with Carnatic music: രാഗം is not a scale and താളം is not a time signature, and keeping tala with your hands is the fastest way in. Then the instruments, from the veena and mridangam to the clay-pot ghatam and the violin played sitting on the floor. Then Kerala's percussion ensembles, structured compositions that accelerate over hours, and the folk songs organised by work: harvesting, transplanting and rowing. Words and phrases in this class: കർണാടക സംഗീതം (karnaataka sangeetham) – Carnatic music രാഗം (raagam) – raga, the melodic framework താളം (thaalam) – tala, the rhythmic cycle വീണ (veena) – veena മൃദംഗം (mridangam) – double-headed drum ഘടം (ghatam) – clay-pot percussion ഓടക്കുഴൽ (odakkuzhal) – bamboo flute ചെണ്ട മേളം (chenda melam) – chenda drum ensemble പഞ്ചവാദ്യം (panchavaadyam) – five-instrument ensemble നാടൻ പാട്ട് (naadan paattu) – folk song കൊയ്ത്തുപാട്ട് (koythuppaattu) – harvest song ഞാറ്റുപാട്ട് (njaattuppaattu) – transplanting song വഞ്ചിപ്പാട്ട് (vanchippaattu) – boat song In this class: • Carnatic music: raga, tala and keeping time with your hands • The instruments, from veena and mridangam to ghatam and flute • Kerala's percussion ensembles and their accelerating structure • Folk songs by work: harvest, transplanting and boat songs Quizzes below. Dr. Reshmi R Nair — SpeakMalayalam.