The Impact of Technology on Indian Classical Music

Indian classical music has a long history and is a core system that has evolved over generations. It is a unique part of India's cultural heritage. An identity. The impact of globalization and technological development has led to a marked change in terms and practices in the subject of Indian classical music as in other fields.

Change in learning methodology

The speciality of Indian music is the transmission of education from teacher to student. It can be called gurukul education or guru-shishya Parampara. The long-term learning process and learning environment created by the teacher cannot be replaced by technology alone. Indian sadhanas like shruti (concerning hearing) and smriti (concerning memory) are not likely to be transmitted in the same way under the influence of present-day technology.

Computer Aided Education is rather familiar with Western music. Although there had been distance education in Indian music supported by platforms like Skype, the Covid 19 pandemic has made online/ virtual education became more popular, i.e., Zoom, Microsoft teams and Google classroom. Advances in technology have also brought about favorable conditions in the field of education. A music lover anywhere in the world can take lessons even from a famous Indian musician.

Changing media in music listening

The Indian musical experience is also unique. The performer and the audience unite in a mutual bond during a performance. Today, any musical genre can be reached at your fingertips. You can choose music according to your taste with one click. A fundamental juncture in the evolution of Indian music is the advent of multimedia. Television and the radio have played a significant role since then.

Indian classical music is becoming more popular through social networks like YouTube as well as music streaming platforms like Spotify, Deezer, SoundCloud, and Gaana. This widens potential audience creating ample opportunity to know and appreciate the musical value. The opportunity to build a global identity for Indian music has already arrived. Many globally recognized artists as well as globally recognized works can be identified.

Electronic aids and music

In the practice of Indian music, musical instruments for sustaining pitch and musical instruments for providing rhythm are very important. Today electronic tanpura and tabla are produced under many brands like Radel, Raagini. The technology arena also comprises various mobile apps like Tanpura Droid, iShala, iTablaPro. Carnatic music also tends to use metronome apps to keep the rhythm of the music. Metronomes and tuners were used in the Western domain before India. Those media may have made the tasks easier. Time is saved. Easy to carry around. Accuracy and precision are key attributes. But the auditory experience of tuning a tanpura and listening to the actual tanpura drone is lost.

Synthesizing instruments is the next identifiable point. Niladri Kumar's Zitar (an electric sitar with five strings) is the main one among these. Some Indian artists play electric violins. Synthesizers continue to be used in studio music as well as in music performance. Synthesizing is prevalent in the category of percussion instruments and the subject of fusion music. However, the question is left whether the acoustic properties of musical instruments are sufficiently preserved. 

Indians are a unique group of people who have conserved their traditions. It can be seen throughout the past that they have done it beautifully with a sense of nationalism in mind. In the ever-changing world of Technological advances, one cannot expect Indian classical music not to be influenced by them. Teachers, artists and students of Indian classical music will have to carry out their work with responsibility and enthusiasm while adopting the good trends and avoiding the bad trends.