I have recently started exploring indian music and I was wondering if anyone out there could give me some starting points, perhaps - Theory,Important Artists, Song composition. I pretty much just need a good solid introduction to the whole thing Just anything would really be great even some links too helpful sites would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Probably the most important artist known in the West
is Ravi Shankar, who recently retired from performing
traditional sitar music.

I saw his daughter, Anoushka Shankar, recently on tour,
and she was quite extraordinary. She is also Nora Jones
half sister, by the way.

She also took pains to point out some of the traditional
music styles and forms, particulary noting stylistic differences
in Northern and Southern Indian music.

One major, and readiliy obvious difference is the scales
utilized are not on a par with the 12 interval scale common
in Western music, they use many semitones in their structure.

My recommendation is a trip to a good college library, and
return with an armful of books, tapes and CD's.

I have recently started exploring indian music and I was wondering if anyone out there could give me some starting points, perhaps - Theory,Important Artists, Song composition. I pretty much just need a good solid introduction to the whole thing Just anything would really be great even some links too helpful sites would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Visit the "Sounds of India" link at www.lucaspickford.com

i also heard they have semi-semi tones, called microtones? someone correct me if i'm wrong on this.

Depends on what kinda of indian music you want. My best friend is Indian, and the kind that appeals to me most is bhangra. Kind of like funky hip hop.

Check out stuff by Trilok Gurrtu (well, some of it), Zakir Hussein (world's best tabla player), and Pandit Kamalesh Maitra (he does a thing called tabla tarrang, which you just have to hear to believe). The trick with Indian music (and all music, for that matter) is to not try so hard to "get it". Just enjoy it. If you like it, good. If you don't, that's good too. Find the stuff you like and explore.

I saw his daughter, Anoushka Shankar, recently on tour,
and she was quite extraordinary.
...check her out on The Concert For George(Harrison).
The DVD's 1st 30 muinutes or so are her's...she's awesome.

George Harrison was huge fan of Shankar & Indian music; Harrison helped bring Indian music to the Rock masses in the US(he had Shankar & his band open the Concert For Bangla Desh...some of Harrison's Beatles tunes have a quasi-Indian vibe(though not that 'authentic').

Coltrane was a fan of Indian music & Shankar; 'Trane even named a son "Ravi".

In addition to the different tonal system, there's the rhythmic complexities; in other words, this ain't yer mama's 4/4.
Trilok & Hussein are good things to listen to...

Have fun.

Yes, you are corect... I had a friend who modified his fender bass 6 to play indian music with, he basicaly put frets in-between all the frets up to #9... I think you have to have it like that to play any traditional scales or "raggas"...

Alex

i also heard they have semi-semi tones, called microtones? someone correct me if i'm wrong on this.

A major scale, with a b2, and b6 has a very eastern/indian sound. Check out Tabla Beat Science with Bill Laswell, and Karsh Kele. Great stuff.