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Making Music – Class 7 Arts Chapter 5 Notes & NCERT PDF

Class 7ArtsChapter 5NCERT book: Kriti - Arts Class 7

Notes and a simple summary of Chapter 5 of the NCERT Class 7 Arts book, with the official chapter PDF, flashcards, an MCQ quiz and an AI tutor for your doubts.

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Chapter 5: Making Music (Music)

Introduction

The Music section of Kriti opens with a verse from the Saṅgīta-ratnākara of Sharangdeva about where musical sound comes from:

Nakāraṁ prāṇa-nāmānaṁ dakāram analaṁ viduḥ.
Jātaḥ prāṇāgni-saṁyogāt tena Nādo-'bhidhīyate.
Meaning: Nāda (musical sound) is created through a combination of nā, which represents prāṇa (life force), and da, which represents agni (fire).

The chapter then asks a simple question: when you listen to a song, how was it made? It helps you hear the different parts of a song, sing together in harmony, and see how music has always been a team effort, right back to the Vedic period.

Key Ideas

Common musical terms

  • Aadhara Shruti / Aadhar Swar — the base note according to which music is played or sung.
  • Swara — a note in music. Indian music has seven notes: Sa Ri/Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni.
  • Raga — a group of notes that come together as per certain rules to create a melody.
  • Tala / Taal — a rhythm cycle made up of a number of beats.
  • Laya — tempo or speed; it can vary from slow to fast.
  • Aroh / Arohana — the ascending scale of a raga.
  • Avroh / Avarohana — the descending scale of a raga.
  • Sargam — a pattern of notes.

    • Layers in a song

    All the different types of sounds you hear in a song are called layers: vocals, musical instruments, melody, harmony, lyrics and different drum beats. Each layer has its own role. The chapter suggests singing popular songs such as Barso re megha megha, Bharat humko jaan se pyaara hai and Zindagi ek safar hai suhana, then asking: what layers do you hear in a film song, and what layers in a devotional song?

    Harmony and canon

  • Harmony: when many voices sing together and create a pleasing blend of different notes. It is common in both vocal and instrumental music.
  • Canon: an easy way to start singing in harmony. Different groups sing the same melody but start at different times. Canons are written so that the notes heard together sound good.
  • *Class canon with Hum honge kaamyaab*: first sing the song together, keeping time. Then split into two groups. Group 1 sings the first line and carries on; when Group 1 starts the third line, Group 2 starts the first line**. For a bigger challenge, make four groups that each start one line later.

    • Music as teamwork: the Sāma-gāna

    The chapter describes a morning Śhrauta-Yajña (Vedic fire ceremony) in the Yāga-śhālā. A team of Vedic priests (Ritvijs) gathers with the institutor (Yajamāna) and his wife (Yajamāna-patnī). Within this team is a sub-team of four Sāma-Vēdī Ritvijs, the Udgātṛi-gaṇa, led by the Udgātā. Facing East, they sing verses of the Sāma-Vēda in parts. This chanting is called Sāma-gāna, and it is divided into five sections (bhaktis):

  • Prastāva — the introduction, begun by the Prastotā.
  • Udgītha — the primary section and core of the recitation, sung by the head Ritvij, the Udgātā.
  • Pratihāra — continues from the last line of the Udgītha, sung by the Pratihartā.
  • Upadrava — the connecting musical interlude (instruments and rhythm), again by the Udgātā.
  • Nidhana — the conclusion, sung in unison by all Ritvijs.

    • The fourth Ritvij, Subrahmaṇya, chants the Subrahmaṇyāhvāna, and the Yajamāna-patnī plays the Śhatatantrī Vīṇā and sings important sections. The book describes this ritual as a spiritual offering: a harmony of voices and disciplined roles showing unity in diversity.

    Activities in the Chapter

  • Activity 5.1 Exploring Songs: in four groups, analyse three songs of different styles: title, year, theme, genre, artist, composer and lyricist; mood (rasa); tempo; pitch; voice type (male, female or duet); instruments; heavy or light arrangement; and number of layers.
  • Activity 5.2 Measure Your Accuracy: record yourself singing (a karaoke track is fine), compare with the original for pitch and rhythm, and ask a classmate, teacher or family member for constructive feedback.
  • Activity 5.3 Chant Shlokas in a Group:
    • asato maa sadgamaya, tamaso maa jyotirgamaya, mrityormaa amritam gamaya, om shantihi shantihi shantihi
    Lead me from false to the truth, darkness to light, from death to immortality.

    Key Terms

  • Nāda (नाद) — musical sound
  • Swara (स्वर) — musical note
  • Raga (राग) — melodic framework
  • Tala (ताल) — rhythm cycle
  • Laya (लय) — tempo
  • Aroh (आरोह) — ascending scale
  • Avroh (अवरोह) — descending scale
  • Aadhara Shruti (आधार श्रुति) — base note
  • Layers (परतें) — the different sounds in a song
  • Harmony (सामंजस्य / सुर-मेल) — a pleasing blend of different notes
  • Canon (क्रमिक गायन) — same melody, staggered starts
  • Ritvij (ऋत्विज्) — Vedic priest
  • Sāma-gāna (सामगान) — sung chanting of the Sāma-Vēda
  • Bhakti (भक्ति, here: section) — one of the five parts of the Sāma-gāna
  • Upagayak (उपगायक) — supporting singer

    • Artists and Traditions Mentioned

  • Sharangdeva, author of the Saṅgīta-ratnākara.
  • The Vedic Sāma-gāna tradition and the Śhatatantrī Vīṇā (a hundred-stringed vīṇā).
  • Kuṭṭanaḍan punjayile (learnt in Grade 6) and Hum honge kaamyaab (learnt in Grade 3).

    • Connect to Your Life

    Next time a song plays at home, try to pick out every layer: the beat, the bass, the main voice, the chorus. In a school choir, a canon is an easy way to make a small group sound rich and full.

    Common Mistakes

  • Thinking harmony means everyone singing the same note. It is a blend of different notes.
  • Starting a canon at the wrong time. Group 2 enters only when Group 1 reaches the third line.
  • Mixing up laya (speed) with tala (the beat cycle).
  • Mixing up the order of the bhaktis. Udgītha is the core, and Nidhana is the ending sung by everyone together.

    • Let's Reflect

  • Which layer did you enjoy most in the song you analysed, and why?
  • How did your recording compare with the original in pitch and rhythm?
  • Why do you think the Sāma-gāna gave each Ritvij a separate role?

    • 💡 Key Learning Points

    • ✓Uses basic music terms correctly: aadhara shruti, swara, raga, tala, laya, aroh, avroh and sargam
    • ✓Identifies the layers in a song (vocals, instruments, melody, harmony, lyrics) and analyses its mood, tempo and pitch
    • ✓Understands harmony and can sing a simple canon in groups
    • ✓Explains the five bhaktis of the Vedic Sāma-gāna and the roles of the Ritvijs
    • ✓Records and self-assesses their singing for pitch and rhythm, and chants shlokas with clear enunciation

    👨‍🏫 Teaching Tips

    • →Play one film song and one devotional song; have groups list every layer they hear, then compare lists
    • →Use the Activity 5.1 template as a group worksheet, with four groups given musical names
    • →Teach the Hum honge kaamyaab canon first in unison, then in two parts (Group 2 enters at Group 1's third line), then four
    • →Let students record themselves on a phone and compare with the original for Activity 5.2; add peer feedback
    • →Act out the Sāma-gāna with five student 'Ritvijs' taking the roles Prastotā, Udgātā, Pratihartā and all-together Nidhana
    • →Chant 'asato maa sadgamaya' in a group, focusing on clear enunciation and staying together
    • →Put the eight common musical terms on flashcards with a Hindi word on the back for quick revision games

    📋 Assessment Questions

    1. Can the student define swara, raga, tala and laya in their own words?
    2. Can the student name at least four layers in a song and describe its mood and tempo?
    3. Does the student enter at the right time and hold their line while singing a canon?
    4. Can the student list the five bhaktis of the Sāma-gāna in order?
    5. Does the student chant the shloka with clear enunciation and coordination?

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    Keep learning

    All chapters in Kriti - Arts Class 7

    1. 1. Understanding Emotions
    2. 2. Say More without Speech — Mime
    3. 3. Let’s Design — Stage Technicals 2
    4. 4. Story of India’s Storytelling Tradition
    5. 5. Making Music
    6. 6. Music, Emotions and Creativity
    7. 7. Ragas and Talas/Taal
    8. 8. The Music of the People
    9. 9. Performance
    10. 10. Dance and Sculpture
    11. 11. Dance Vocabulary and Techniques
    12. 12. Dance, You and Creativity
    13. 13. Personalities
    14. 14. Natya
    15. 15. Objects in Icons and Symbols
    16. 16. Nature’s Palette
    17. 17. How You Feel
    18. 18. Textiles and Traditions
    19. 19. The Art of Calligraphy
    20. 20. Integration of All Art Forms — Sculptures Come Alive!