NCERT Textbook: Musical Instruments | Arts (Kriti) Class 8 - New NCERT PDF Download

 Page 1


Timbre
Timbre refers to the ‘tone’ or ‘colour’ of the 
sound. Timbre varies with the material used for 
the instrument, construction of the instrument 
and its playing technique. 
Do you think that music is both an art and 
science? Discuss in class.
6 
Musical 
Instruments
Vibrating Air molecules
Ringing  
Bell
Listener
THE SCIENCE OF SOUND
Vibration
Sound is produced because of 
vibrations. When an object vibrates, 
Resonance
Through resonance, sound is ampli??ed or made louder. 
For example, in a percussion instrument, the hollow body 
or cavity resonates, amplifying the sound. 
Frequency
Frequency is the number of vibrations per second. A faster 
vibration produces higher frequency, resulting in a higher 
pitch of sound. For example, tightening the tuning peg 
of a Sitar increases its tension and vibrating frequency, 
resulting in a higher pitch.
   sound of a bat High Frequency 
low  
Frequency 
sound of an  
elephant
Di??erent instruments have varied timbre
it creates sound waves, that 
travel through a medium 
(air, water, etc.) to reach 
our ears.
ch6_MUSIC8.indd   66 ch6_MUSIC8.indd   66 18-Jun-25   12:28:09 PM 18-Jun-25   12:28:09 PM
Page 2


Timbre
Timbre refers to the ‘tone’ or ‘colour’ of the 
sound. Timbre varies with the material used for 
the instrument, construction of the instrument 
and its playing technique. 
Do you think that music is both an art and 
science? Discuss in class.
6 
Musical 
Instruments
Vibrating Air molecules
Ringing  
Bell
Listener
THE SCIENCE OF SOUND
Vibration
Sound is produced because of 
vibrations. When an object vibrates, 
Resonance
Through resonance, sound is ampli??ed or made louder. 
For example, in a percussion instrument, the hollow body 
or cavity resonates, amplifying the sound. 
Frequency
Frequency is the number of vibrations per second. A faster 
vibration produces higher frequency, resulting in a higher 
pitch of sound. For example, tightening the tuning peg 
of a Sitar increases its tension and vibrating frequency, 
resulting in a higher pitch.
   sound of a bat High Frequency 
low  
Frequency 
sound of an  
elephant
Di??erent instruments have varied timbre
it creates sound waves, that 
travel through a medium 
(air, water, etc.) to reach 
our ears.
ch6_MUSIC8.indd   66 ch6_MUSIC8.indd   66 18-Jun-25   12:28:09 PM 18-Jun-25   12:28:09 PM
67  |  Musical Instruments
It is then ??xed onto 
the wooden drum. 
Straps are tied to 
help with tuning.
The instrument maker 
works with a log of wood to 
create a cylindrical shape. 
The head of the 
drum is created. 
MAKING MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS 
The makers of musical instruments are essential for the survival  
of traditional art forms. Scienti??c principles are used in the making 
of musical instruments.
Note to the Teacher: Find an instrument maker in your community or local area. Invite them to the school for 
a live demonstration of the process of making and maintaining musical instruments. This will give the students a 
??rst-hand idea of the importance of these craftspersons in our society.
ch6_MUSIC8.indd   67 ch6_MUSIC8.indd   67 18-Jun-25   12:28:11 PM 18-Jun-25   12:28:11 PM
Page 3


Timbre
Timbre refers to the ‘tone’ or ‘colour’ of the 
sound. Timbre varies with the material used for 
the instrument, construction of the instrument 
and its playing technique. 
Do you think that music is both an art and 
science? Discuss in class.
6 
Musical 
Instruments
Vibrating Air molecules
Ringing  
Bell
Listener
THE SCIENCE OF SOUND
Vibration
Sound is produced because of 
vibrations. When an object vibrates, 
Resonance
Through resonance, sound is ampli??ed or made louder. 
For example, in a percussion instrument, the hollow body 
or cavity resonates, amplifying the sound. 
Frequency
Frequency is the number of vibrations per second. A faster 
vibration produces higher frequency, resulting in a higher 
pitch of sound. For example, tightening the tuning peg 
of a Sitar increases its tension and vibrating frequency, 
resulting in a higher pitch.
   sound of a bat High Frequency 
low  
Frequency 
sound of an  
elephant
Di??erent instruments have varied timbre
it creates sound waves, that 
travel through a medium 
(air, water, etc.) to reach 
our ears.
ch6_MUSIC8.indd   66 ch6_MUSIC8.indd   66 18-Jun-25   12:28:09 PM 18-Jun-25   12:28:09 PM
67  |  Musical Instruments
It is then ??xed onto 
the wooden drum. 
Straps are tied to 
help with tuning.
The instrument maker 
works with a log of wood to 
create a cylindrical shape. 
The head of the 
drum is created. 
MAKING MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS 
The makers of musical instruments are essential for the survival  
of traditional art forms. Scienti??c principles are used in the making 
of musical instruments.
Note to the Teacher: Find an instrument maker in your community or local area. Invite them to the school for 
a live demonstration of the process of making and maintaining musical instruments. This will give the students a 
??rst-hand idea of the importance of these craftspersons in our society.
ch6_MUSIC8.indd   67 ch6_MUSIC8.indd   67 18-Jun-25   12:28:11 PM 18-Jun-25   12:28:11 PM
68  |  KRITI
MUSICIANS AND THEIR 
INSTRUMENTS
Musicians often become synonymous with their 
instruments.  Here are some great musicians and 
their instruments for you to learn about. If you can, 
learn about other great musicians from our country!
played the surbahar, a bass sitar known for its deep, 
resonant tones. The surbahar was an uncommon 
instrument for women as it is considered physically 
demanding, but she mastered it and her father 
considered her his ??nest student. Although she did 
not perform publicly, Annapurna Devi was known for 
her commitment to tradition and her mastery over 
ragas. Her students, including ??autist Hariprasad 
Chaurasia and sitarist Nikhil Banerjee, became some 
of the most acclaimed musicians of their generation.
About the Surbahar: The surbahar is a plucked 
string instrument, often called the ‘bass sitar’, used 
in Hindustani classical music. It has a deeper and 
lower tonal range than the sitar, making it suitable 
for elaborate alaap sections.
Annapurna Devi (1927 – 2018), born Roshanara Khan, 
was one of the most in??uential ??gures in Indian 
classical music. She was the daughter of the legendary 
Baba Allauddin Khan of the Maihar Gharana and 
Annapurna Devi — Surbahar
ch6_MUSIC8.indd   68 ch6_MUSIC8.indd   68 18-Jun-25   12:28:12 PM 18-Jun-25   12:28:12 PM
Page 4


Timbre
Timbre refers to the ‘tone’ or ‘colour’ of the 
sound. Timbre varies with the material used for 
the instrument, construction of the instrument 
and its playing technique. 
Do you think that music is both an art and 
science? Discuss in class.
6 
Musical 
Instruments
Vibrating Air molecules
Ringing  
Bell
Listener
THE SCIENCE OF SOUND
Vibration
Sound is produced because of 
vibrations. When an object vibrates, 
Resonance
Through resonance, sound is ampli??ed or made louder. 
For example, in a percussion instrument, the hollow body 
or cavity resonates, amplifying the sound. 
Frequency
Frequency is the number of vibrations per second. A faster 
vibration produces higher frequency, resulting in a higher 
pitch of sound. For example, tightening the tuning peg 
of a Sitar increases its tension and vibrating frequency, 
resulting in a higher pitch.
   sound of a bat High Frequency 
low  
Frequency 
sound of an  
elephant
Di??erent instruments have varied timbre
it creates sound waves, that 
travel through a medium 
(air, water, etc.) to reach 
our ears.
ch6_MUSIC8.indd   66 ch6_MUSIC8.indd   66 18-Jun-25   12:28:09 PM 18-Jun-25   12:28:09 PM
67  |  Musical Instruments
It is then ??xed onto 
the wooden drum. 
Straps are tied to 
help with tuning.
The instrument maker 
works with a log of wood to 
create a cylindrical shape. 
The head of the 
drum is created. 
MAKING MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS 
The makers of musical instruments are essential for the survival  
of traditional art forms. Scienti??c principles are used in the making 
of musical instruments.
Note to the Teacher: Find an instrument maker in your community or local area. Invite them to the school for 
a live demonstration of the process of making and maintaining musical instruments. This will give the students a 
??rst-hand idea of the importance of these craftspersons in our society.
ch6_MUSIC8.indd   67 ch6_MUSIC8.indd   67 18-Jun-25   12:28:11 PM 18-Jun-25   12:28:11 PM
68  |  KRITI
MUSICIANS AND THEIR 
INSTRUMENTS
Musicians often become synonymous with their 
instruments.  Here are some great musicians and 
their instruments for you to learn about. If you can, 
learn about other great musicians from our country!
played the surbahar, a bass sitar known for its deep, 
resonant tones. The surbahar was an uncommon 
instrument for women as it is considered physically 
demanding, but she mastered it and her father 
considered her his ??nest student. Although she did 
not perform publicly, Annapurna Devi was known for 
her commitment to tradition and her mastery over 
ragas. Her students, including ??autist Hariprasad 
Chaurasia and sitarist Nikhil Banerjee, became some 
of the most acclaimed musicians of their generation.
About the Surbahar: The surbahar is a plucked 
string instrument, often called the ‘bass sitar’, used 
in Hindustani classical music. It has a deeper and 
lower tonal range than the sitar, making it suitable 
for elaborate alaap sections.
Annapurna Devi (1927 – 2018), born Roshanara Khan, 
was one of the most in??uential ??gures in Indian 
classical music. She was the daughter of the legendary 
Baba Allauddin Khan of the Maihar Gharana and 
Annapurna Devi — Surbahar
ch6_MUSIC8.indd   68 ch6_MUSIC8.indd   68 18-Jun-25   12:28:12 PM 18-Jun-25   12:28:12 PM
69  |  Musical Instruments
he came to Bombay, to further expand his music 
career. Sneh Bandhan (1940) was his debut ??lm as 
an independent music composer. The popular songs 
from the ??lm were “ Aabroo Ke Kamaanon Mein” 
and “Sneh Bandhan Mein Bandhe Hue” sung by Khan 
Mastan and Bibbo. Pannalal Ghosh jointly scored the 
background for “Aandhiyan” in 1952 along with Ustad 
Ali Akbar Khan and Pandit Ravi Shankar. He was the 
??rst to introduce the seven-hole ??ute.
Mysore Doraisw amy Iyengar — Veena
Doraiswamy Iyengar was born into a family of 
renowned Carnatic musicians in 1920. His father 
Venkatesh Iyengar served as a Court musician at the 
Royal court of Mysore, who was e??cient equally in 
??ute and Veena. Iyengar started learning the Veena 
from his father at an early age of 6 years and later 
went to become the disciple 
of Veena Venkatagiriyappa. 
Later, he developed a 
distinctive style of playing 
the Veena often referred 
to as the Mysore Bani. He 
spent his early years in 
the village Gaddavalli in 
Hassan district, Karnataka.
P annalal ghosh — flute
Pannalal Ghosh 
lived from 1911 to 
1960 and his name 
was synonymous 
to Indian ??ute 
(bansuri). He was a 
bansuri player and 
also a composer. 
He was a disciple 
of Baba Allauddin Khan, and is credited with 
popularising the ??ute as a concert instrument in 
Hindustani classical music. As a child he had picked 
up a small ??ute that cowherders usually played and 
on the basis of the education he was receiving on the 
sitar from his father, he would try to play musical 
patterns on the ??ute.  At the age of 18, he started 
focusing his attention on the ??ute. Ghosh realised 
that a bigger ??ute’s pitch and sonority would be more 
appropriate for both classical and light music. Ghosh 
experimented with various materials including 
metal and di??erent types of wood, and decided on 
using bamboo. He ??nally settled on a ??ute which was  
32 inches long. 
He assisted in music production while he was in 
Calcutta working with New Theatres Ltd. In 1940 
ch6_MUSIC8.indd   69 ch6_MUSIC8.indd   69 18-Jun-25   12:28:12 PM 18-Jun-25   12:28:12 PM
Page 5


Timbre
Timbre refers to the ‘tone’ or ‘colour’ of the 
sound. Timbre varies with the material used for 
the instrument, construction of the instrument 
and its playing technique. 
Do you think that music is both an art and 
science? Discuss in class.
6 
Musical 
Instruments
Vibrating Air molecules
Ringing  
Bell
Listener
THE SCIENCE OF SOUND
Vibration
Sound is produced because of 
vibrations. When an object vibrates, 
Resonance
Through resonance, sound is ampli??ed or made louder. 
For example, in a percussion instrument, the hollow body 
or cavity resonates, amplifying the sound. 
Frequency
Frequency is the number of vibrations per second. A faster 
vibration produces higher frequency, resulting in a higher 
pitch of sound. For example, tightening the tuning peg 
of a Sitar increases its tension and vibrating frequency, 
resulting in a higher pitch.
   sound of a bat High Frequency 
low  
Frequency 
sound of an  
elephant
Di??erent instruments have varied timbre
it creates sound waves, that 
travel through a medium 
(air, water, etc.) to reach 
our ears.
ch6_MUSIC8.indd   66 ch6_MUSIC8.indd   66 18-Jun-25   12:28:09 PM 18-Jun-25   12:28:09 PM
67  |  Musical Instruments
It is then ??xed onto 
the wooden drum. 
Straps are tied to 
help with tuning.
The instrument maker 
works with a log of wood to 
create a cylindrical shape. 
The head of the 
drum is created. 
MAKING MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS 
The makers of musical instruments are essential for the survival  
of traditional art forms. Scienti??c principles are used in the making 
of musical instruments.
Note to the Teacher: Find an instrument maker in your community or local area. Invite them to the school for 
a live demonstration of the process of making and maintaining musical instruments. This will give the students a 
??rst-hand idea of the importance of these craftspersons in our society.
ch6_MUSIC8.indd   67 ch6_MUSIC8.indd   67 18-Jun-25   12:28:11 PM 18-Jun-25   12:28:11 PM
68  |  KRITI
MUSICIANS AND THEIR 
INSTRUMENTS
Musicians often become synonymous with their 
instruments.  Here are some great musicians and 
their instruments for you to learn about. If you can, 
learn about other great musicians from our country!
played the surbahar, a bass sitar known for its deep, 
resonant tones. The surbahar was an uncommon 
instrument for women as it is considered physically 
demanding, but she mastered it and her father 
considered her his ??nest student. Although she did 
not perform publicly, Annapurna Devi was known for 
her commitment to tradition and her mastery over 
ragas. Her students, including ??autist Hariprasad 
Chaurasia and sitarist Nikhil Banerjee, became some 
of the most acclaimed musicians of their generation.
About the Surbahar: The surbahar is a plucked 
string instrument, often called the ‘bass sitar’, used 
in Hindustani classical music. It has a deeper and 
lower tonal range than the sitar, making it suitable 
for elaborate alaap sections.
Annapurna Devi (1927 – 2018), born Roshanara Khan, 
was one of the most in??uential ??gures in Indian 
classical music. She was the daughter of the legendary 
Baba Allauddin Khan of the Maihar Gharana and 
Annapurna Devi — Surbahar
ch6_MUSIC8.indd   68 ch6_MUSIC8.indd   68 18-Jun-25   12:28:12 PM 18-Jun-25   12:28:12 PM
69  |  Musical Instruments
he came to Bombay, to further expand his music 
career. Sneh Bandhan (1940) was his debut ??lm as 
an independent music composer. The popular songs 
from the ??lm were “ Aabroo Ke Kamaanon Mein” 
and “Sneh Bandhan Mein Bandhe Hue” sung by Khan 
Mastan and Bibbo. Pannalal Ghosh jointly scored the 
background for “Aandhiyan” in 1952 along with Ustad 
Ali Akbar Khan and Pandit Ravi Shankar. He was the 
??rst to introduce the seven-hole ??ute.
Mysore Doraisw amy Iyengar — Veena
Doraiswamy Iyengar was born into a family of 
renowned Carnatic musicians in 1920. His father 
Venkatesh Iyengar served as a Court musician at the 
Royal court of Mysore, who was e??cient equally in 
??ute and Veena. Iyengar started learning the Veena 
from his father at an early age of 6 years and later 
went to become the disciple 
of Veena Venkatagiriyappa. 
Later, he developed a 
distinctive style of playing 
the Veena often referred 
to as the Mysore Bani. He 
spent his early years in 
the village Gaddavalli in 
Hassan district, Karnataka.
P annalal ghosh — flute
Pannalal Ghosh 
lived from 1911 to 
1960 and his name 
was synonymous 
to Indian ??ute 
(bansuri). He was a 
bansuri player and 
also a composer. 
He was a disciple 
of Baba Allauddin Khan, and is credited with 
popularising the ??ute as a concert instrument in 
Hindustani classical music. As a child he had picked 
up a small ??ute that cowherders usually played and 
on the basis of the education he was receiving on the 
sitar from his father, he would try to play musical 
patterns on the ??ute.  At the age of 18, he started 
focusing his attention on the ??ute. Ghosh realised 
that a bigger ??ute’s pitch and sonority would be more 
appropriate for both classical and light music. Ghosh 
experimented with various materials including 
metal and di??erent types of wood, and decided on 
using bamboo. He ??nally settled on a ??ute which was  
32 inches long. 
He assisted in music production while he was in 
Calcutta working with New Theatres Ltd. In 1940 
ch6_MUSIC8.indd   69 ch6_MUSIC8.indd   69 18-Jun-25   12:28:12 PM 18-Jun-25   12:28:12 PM
70  |  KRITI
The three musical maestros — Zakir Husain, Shanker Mahadevan and Vikku Vinayakram performing in the concert
He was nominated for Asthana Vidvan (Royal 
musician of the court) of the Mysore court, one to 
receive this honour very young age. Apart from giving 
performances, he was engaged in imparting musical 
knowledge to the members of the royal family.
He was appointed as the Music Director at the 
All India Radio in Bangalore. He was credited with 
several awards and titles. The University of Mysore 
conferred upon him an Honorary Doctorate in 1975, 
the Prestigious civilian award the Padma Bhushan 
by the President of India in 1983, the Sangeetha 
Kalanidhi of the Madras Music Academy in 1984, the 
Sangeetha Kalasikhamani of the Indian Fine Arts 
Society Chennai in 1994, the Sangeetha Kalaratna 
of the Bangalore Gayana Samaj, and the Chowdiah 
National Memorial Award.
ch6_MUSIC8.indd   70 ch6_MUSIC8.indd   70 18-Jun-25   12:28:13 PM 18-Jun-25   12:28:13 PM