Gamak vs.
Gamakam:
A Difference in Stylistic
Approach
What is Gamaka?
Simply put, an ornament!
Used to showcase the stylistic beauty of a rāga
(sing brief example of plain and ornamented)
Varioustypes of mordents, trills, glissandi,
appogiature, etc.
Do we notate it?
Trick question: we don’t really!
oral/aural tradition
(excusing a few books and studies out there now for
easier learning)
Can we notate it for Western?
Yes, for the most part!
turns/reverse turns, lower/upper mordents
non-rapid trills, glissando grace notes either from
below or above, appogiatura/ to create a greater
“resolve” or return to sa/pa
Carnatic Gamakam
Many types exist i.e. jaru (slide), kampita
(oscillation), orikai (flick), etc.
Best defined in a western sense for the common
ornamentations as rapid glissandi between certain
notes, typically between the minor 2nd and
Augmented 3rd intervals (tiny demo)
Carnatic Examples
Violin: Ragam Bhairavi (carnatic)
(S R2 G2 M1 P D2 N2 S; S N2 D1 P M1 G2 R2 S)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICsosYo3vYM
Veena: Ragam Kapi
(S R2 M1 P N3 S; S N2 D2 N2 P M1 G2 R2 S)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yv4ea1pFp4
Hindustani Gamak
Many types exist i.e. meend (slide), andolan (slow
oscillation), murki (fast turns/runs), etc.
Most commonly heard/distinct ornaments are
glissandi of any interval size (even past the
octave), the lower mordent, 6-note turns, and more
held notes (tiny demo)
Hindustani Example
Sarangi: Raag Gaud Malhar
(sa re ga ma re pa ma pa dha ni sa; sa ni dha ni pa ga pa ma
re sa re sa)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cFFGztamQM
Can all Indian instruments do
Gamaka?
Shortanswer: Nope!
Santoor: Raag Vachaspati
(sa re ga ma+ pa dha ni sa; sa ni dha pa ma+ ga re sa)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9BHicBMG-w
Comparing the Two
Carnatic venu flute: Ragam Abheri
(S G2 M1 P N2 S; S N2 D2 P M1 G2 R2 S)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXM-AQV0pio
Hindustani bansuri flute: Raag Bhimpalasi
(sa ga ma pa ni sa; sa ni dha pa ma ga re sa)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=054y9El9pu4
Live Example Comparison
I will be demonstrating both the Carnatic
gamakam style in an alapana and the Hindustani
gamak style in an alaap
Carnatic: Ragam Hamsadhvani
(S R2 G3 P N3 S; S N3 P G3 R2 S)
Hindustani: Raag Hansadhwani
(sa re ga pa ni sa; sa ni pa ga re sa)
*sound of swans
Interactive Section
Let’s see if we can do some together!
(diatonic major scale/Ionian mode)
Dheerashankarabharanam
Bilawal
Are they all that different?
Class opinions on the matter
Professorial take
My thoughts about it
