Classical Music MCQs – Set-1 | 50 questions on Hindustani and Carnatic music, raga and tala, instruments, forms, and performance traditions.
Mixed difficulty · Select one answer and open each explanation to review the concept.
Which two systems are named as India’s major classical music traditions?
A Hindustani and Carnatic
B Folk and devotional
C Dhrupad and Khayal
D Thumri and Dadra
Answer: A. Hindustani and Carnatic. CCRT identifies Hindustani and Carnatic as the two major classical music systems.
In the Sangeet Natak Akademi overview, what inspires raga moods?
A Temple architecture
B Seasons and daily times
C Only written lyrics
D Instrument materials
Answer: B. Seasons and daily times. The Akademi describes ragas as musical moods inspired by seasons and times of day.
What does a tala organize during a performance?
A A melodic scale
B A lyrical theme
C A rhythmic cycle
D A tuning system
Answer: C. A rhythmic cycle. Tala refers to the rhythmic time cycle that supports a performance.
How does the Akademi describe improvisation in classical music?
A Without any musical rules
B Only through written lyrics
C Outside every composition
D Within notes and structure
Answer: D. Within notes and structure. The Sangeet Natak Akademi describes improvisation within a structure of notes and mathematical relationships.
How is Indian classical music generally transmitted, according to SNA?
A Through oral tradition
B Through silent reading
C Through notation alone
D Through recorded lessons
Answer: A. Through oral tradition. The Akademi says the tradition is generally passed down orally through long-term learning with a guru.
What does SNA call the codified time cycles in Indian classical music?
A Ragas
B Taals
C Gharanas
D Bandishes
Answer: B. Taals. The Akademi describes taals as codified time cycles.
Which concept provides a melodic framework in Indian classical music?
A Tala
B Gharana
C Raga
D Sargam
Answer: C. Raga. A raga organizes melodic material and helps shape a musical mood.
Within what does a performer improvise, according to SNA?
A Unrelated scales and lyrics
B A fixed recording
C Random instrument changes
D Notes and mathematical structure
Answer: D. Notes and mathematical structure. The Akademi says improvisation takes place within the structure of notes and mathematics.
What does the SNA overview describe as fixed in a performance?
A Compositions
B Every ornament
C Every tempo change
D All audience responses
Answer: A. Compositions. The overview says compositions are fixed, while much of the music is improvised.
Why can two performances of the same composition feel different?
A The raga is discarded
B Improvised choices vary
C The tala disappears
D The composition is replaced
Answer: B. Improvised choices vary. Improvisation gives each artist and performance room for a distinct rendering.
Which relationship is central to traditional oral music learning?
A Composer and publisher
B Actor and director
C Student and guru
D Curator and visitor
Answer: C. Student and guru. SNA describes students learning from a guru over many years.
Which broad field includes Hindustani and Carnatic traditions?
A Folk theatre
B Visual arts
C Puppetry
D Indian classical music
Answer: D. Indian classical music. CCRT groups Hindustani and Carnatic under Indian classical music.
Which pair describes common streams in official music categories?
A Vocal and instrumental
B Painting and sculpture
C Dance and theatre
D Folk and tribal
Answer: A. Vocal and instrumental. Official categories distinguish vocal and instrumental music.
What does the category “Carnatic Vocal” identify?
A A dance form
B A vocal music stream
C A painting school
D A theatre genre
Answer: B. A vocal music stream. CCRT and SNA list Carnatic vocal music as a distinct music category.
Which term is used for a stylistic tradition in Hindustani music?
A Avaroha
B Sargam
C Gharana
D Avanaddha
Answer: C. Gharana. Gharana refers to a lineage or stylistic tradition in Hindustani music.
Which gharana is highlighted in CCRT’s audio-visual catalogue?
A Jaipur gharana
B Banaras gharana
C Patiala gharana
D Agra gharana
Answer: D. Agra gharana. CCRT’s catalogue includes a programme on the traditions and legends of the Agra Gharana.
Abdul Rashid Khan’s SNA biography associates him with which gharana?
A Gwalior gharana
B Agra gharana
C Kirana gharana
D Jaipur gharana
Answer: A. Gwalior gharana. The Sangeet Natak Akademi biography identifies Khan with the Gwalior gharana.
Under which pen name did Abdul Rashid Khan compose bandishes?
A Sadarang
B Rasan Piya
C Adarang
D Guni Das
Answer: B. Rasan Piya. His SNA biography says he composed bandishes under the name Rasan Piya.
Which trio of styles appears in Khan’s official biography?
A Garba, Bihu, Lavani
B Thumri, Ghazal, Qawali
C Khayal, Dhrupad, Dhamar
D Jatra, Tamasha, Bhavai
Answer: C. Khayal, Dhrupad, Dhamar. The biography lists Khayal, Dhrupad, and Dhamar among the forms in which Khan was adept.
Which additional form appears in Khan’s biography alongside Chaiti?
A Bhangra
B Yakshagana
C Mohiniyattam
D Kajri
Answer: D. Kajri. The SNA biography also names Kajri among the forms Khan performed.
What term does SNA’s instrument taxonomy use for chordophones?
A Tata vadya
B Sushira vadya
C Ghana vadya
D Avanaddha vadya
Answer: A. Tata vadya. SNA’s four-fold instrument classification uses tata vadya for chordophones.
Which taxonomy term denotes aerophones or wind instruments?
A Tata vadya
B Sushira vadya
C Ghana vadya
D Avanaddha vadya
Answer: B. Sushira vadya. In SNA’s instrument taxonomy, sushira vadya are aerophones.
What label covers membranophones in SNA’s four-fold classification?
A Tata vadya
B Ghana vadya
C Avanaddha vadya
D Sushira vadya
Answer: C. Avanaddha vadya. Avanaddha vadya refers to membranophones in the Akademi’s classification.
Which term names idiophones in SNA’s instrument taxonomy?
A Tata vadya
B Sushira vadya
C Avanaddha vadya
D Ghana vadya
Answer: D. Ghana vadya. SNA uses ghana vadya for idiophones.
Which pair contains two wind instruments?
A Flute and shehnai
B Sarod and sitar
C Tabla and ghatam
D Veena and sarangi
Answer: A. Flute and shehnai. Flute and shehnai produce sound through air and are wind instruments.
What sound does a tanpura typically provide?
A A spoken narration
B A sustained drone
C A changing tala
D A lead melody
Answer: B. A sustained drone. A tanpura commonly sustains the reference drone beneath a performance.
Which instrument is a plucked string instrument?
A Tabla
B Ghatam
C Sitar
D Shehnai
Answer: C. Sitar. The sitar is a plucked string instrument.
Which instrument is played as a bowed string instrument?
A Mridangam
B Ghatam
C Tanpura
D Sarangi
Answer: D. Sarangi. The sarangi is a bowed string instrument.
Which instrument is a clay-pot percussion instrument?
A Ghatam
B Sarod
C Shehnai
D Sitar
Answer: A. Ghatam. The ghatam is a clay pot played as a percussion instrument.
Under SNA’s taxonomy, where does tabla belong?
A Tata vadya
B Avanaddha vadya
C Sushira vadya
D Ghana vadya
Answer: B. Avanaddha vadya. Tabla is a membrane percussion instrument, matching the avanaddha category.
Which listed instrument belongs to the percussion family?
A Sarod
B Veena
C Mridangam
D Shehnai
Answer: C. Mridangam. The mridangam is a percussion drum used in Indian classical music.
Which instrument is classified as a chordophone in SNA’s taxonomy?
A Flute
B Ghatam
C Tabla
D Veena
Answer: D. Veena. A veena produces sound through strings and belongs to the chordophone family.
In raga terminology, what does aroha describe?
A Ascending note movement
B Descending note movement
C A repeating drum cycle
D A vocal ornament
Answer: A. Ascending note movement. Aroha describes the ascending movement through a raga’s notes.
What does avaroha describe in a raga?
A Ascending note movement
B Descending note movement
C A fixed composition
D A drum accompaniment
Answer: B. Descending note movement. Avaroha describes the descending movement through a raga’s notes.
Which term names the familiar Indian note-syllable system?
A Gharana
B Avaroha
C Sargam
D Dhamar
Answer: C. Sargam. Sargam refers to the note syllables used in Indian music.
How many syllables appear in the basic Sa-Re-Ga-Ma-Pa-Dha-Ni sequence?
A Five
B Six
C Eight
D Seven
Answer: D. Seven. The familiar basic sequence has seven syllables: Sa, Re, Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, and Ni.
Which syllable begins the basic Sa-Re-Ga-Ma sequence?
A Sa
B Re
C Ga
D Ma
Answer: A. Sa. Sa begins the familiar sequence of Indian note syllables.
Which note syllable follows Ga in the basic sequence?
A Re
B Ma
C Pa
D Dha
Answer: B. Ma. The basic order is Sa, Re, Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, Ni.
Which syllable closes the basic ascending seven-note sequence?
A Dha
B Pa
C Ni
D Sa
Answer: C. Ni. Ni is the final syllable in the basic ascending seven-note sequence.
Which style is listed among light-classical forms in CCRT’s current scheme?
A Dhrupad
B Dhamar
C Bihu
D Thumri
Answer: D. Thumri. CCRT’s 2026 scholarship scheme lists Thumri among light-classical forms.
Which form is listed alongside Thumri in that light-classical group?
A Dadra
B Dhrupad
C Khayal
D Garba
Answer: A. Dadra. Dadra appears with Thumri in CCRT’s light-classical category.
Which additional style appears in CCRT’s light-classical list?
A Dhrupad
B Tappa
C Chhau
D Sattriya
Answer: B. Tappa. CCRT’s scheme includes Tappa in its light-classical list.
Which vocal form also appears in the official light-classical list?
A Khayal
B Dhamar
C Ghazal
D Alap
Answer: C. Ghazal. The CCRT scheme lists Ghazal among light-classical forms.
What is a bandish in Hindustani music?
A A wind instrument
B A rhythmic hand gesture
C A regional dance
D A composed musical piece
Answer: D. A composed musical piece. A bandish is a composed piece used in Hindustani vocal music.
Which form appears in SNA publication titles such as “Tyagaraja Kriti Sangraha”?
A Kriti
B Gharana
C Sargam
D Avaroha
Answer: A. Kriti. SNA’s publication catalogue includes Tyagaraja Kriti Sangraha, identifying the Carnatic composition form kriti.
Which Carnatic composer’s name appears in an SNA Kriti Sangraha title?
A Abdul Rashid Khan
B Muthuswami Dikshitar
C T. K. Govinda Rao
D P. S. Narayanaswamy
Answer: B. Muthuswami Dikshitar. SNA lists a publication titled Muthuswami Dikshitar Kriti Sangraha.
Which official body describes Hindustani and Carnatic as major systems?
A UNESCO
B Archaeological Survey
C CCRT
D National Film Archive
Answer: C. CCRT. CCRT’s performing arts overview identifies Hindustani and Carnatic as India’s two major classical music traditions.
Which institution’s music overview describes improvisation within fixed compositions?
A Sahitya Akademi
B Lalit Kala Akademi
C National School of Drama
D Sangeet Natak Akademi
Answer: D. Sangeet Natak Akademi. The Sangeet Natak Akademi’s music overview explains the relationship between fixed compositions and improvisation.
How does CCRT describe music’s place in everyday cultural life?
A Festivals, rituals, daily life
B Courts, armies, trade
C Only films and radio
D Schools, factories, markets
Answer: A. Festivals, rituals, daily life. CCRT describes music as part of festivals, rituals, and daily life.
Which phrase best captures the role of a raga in a performance?
A A fixed drum pattern
B Melodic framework and mood
C A written lyric sheet
D A family of instruments
Answer: B. Melodic framework and mood. A raga provides melodic structure and helps shape a musical mood.