Hindustani Music — Textbook & Study Material

Download the official textbook for Hindustani Music and see the full chapter list so you know exactly what to cover.

Official textbook download

Hindustani Music — official textbook — Free download from the official source.

What you will study (chapters)

Chapter 1: Vocal Music Terms and Detailed Theory
Chapter 2: Raga Descriptions and Raga Identification
Chapter 3: Taal Notation and Layakari
Chapter 4: Bhatkhande Notation and Vocal Forms
Chapter 5: Amir Khusro, Pt. Vishnu Digambar Paluskar and Eminent Vocalists
Chapter 6: Tanpura Components, Tuning and Handling
Chapter 7: Vocal Practical Performance
Chapter 8: Instrumental Music Terms and Detailed Theory
Chapter 9: Instrument Origin, Handling, Tuning and Diagram
Chapter 10: Raga Descriptions and Raga Identification for Instrumental Music
Chapter 11: Taal Notation and Layakari for Instrumental Music
Chapter 12: Maseetkhani and Razakhani Gat Notation
Chapter 13: Amir Khusro, Pt. Vishnu Digambar Paluskar and Eminent Instrumentalists
Chapter 14: Instrumental Practical Performance
Chapter 15: Tabla Terms and Detailed Theory
Chapter 16: Eminent Percussionists
Chapter 17: Taal Notation, Theka and Layakari
Chapter 18: Tabla Components, Tuning and Taal Identification
Chapter 19: Tabla Practical Performance and Accompaniment
Chapter 20: Practical Work in Music
Chapter 21: Course Work Activities
Chapter 22: Practice and Performance Assessment Criteria

Frequently asked questions

Is the Hindustani Music textbook available for free?

Yes — the book linked above is a free download. We link to the source rather than re-hosting it, so you always get the current edition. Check the edition against the syllabus for your exam year.

Is the Hindustani Music textbook enough to score well, or do I need extra notes?

The official textbook is the core — most exam questions are set directly from it, so read it thoroughly first. Add concise notes and solved past papers for revision and exam practice rather than switching to unofficial books.

How should I study the Hindustani Music textbook chapter by chapter?

Cover the high-weightage chapters first (use the exam pattern as a guide), make a one-page summary per chapter, and immediately solve a few past-paper questions on it. Active recall beats passive re-reading.

How can I prepare for Hindustani Music faster?

Begin with the most-frequently-asked topics and the last few years of question papers, then test yourself under timed conditions. If you want guided help, you can use the free AI study tutor for Hindustani Music — practise past-paper questions and get instant feedback — or a focused Hindustani Music study guide that condenses the syllabus into the topics that matter most — both are free to start.