Music

Introduction

The Music of Pakistan includes diverse elements ranging from music from other parts of South Asia as well as Central Asian folk music, Persian music, Turkish music, Arabic music as well as more modern American music influences. With the multiple influences, Pakistani music has emerged as a “fusion” of many other types of sounds together to form a distinctly Pakistani sound.

Classical Music

South Asian classical music has 7 basic notes (Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni), with five interspersed half-notes, resulting in a 12-note scale. Unlike the 12-note scale in Western music, the base frequency of the scale is not fixed, and intertonal gaps (temper) may also vary; however with the gradual replacement of the sarangi by the harmonium, an equal tempered scale is increasingly used. The performance is set to a melodic pattern (raag) characterized in part by specific ascent and descent. Other characteristics include King and Queen-notes and a unique note phrase (Pakad). In addition each raga has its natural register (Ambit) and glissando (Meend) rules, as well as features specific to different styles and compositions within the raga structure. Performances are usually marked by considerable improvisation within these norms. It is traditional for performers who have reached a distinguished level of achievement, to be awarded titles of Ustad (meaning teacher).

Ghazal Music

In poetry, the ghazal (Persian: غزل; Turkish: gazel) is a poetic form consisting of couplets which share a rhyme and a refrain. Each line must share the same meter. Etymologically, the word literally refers to “the mortal cry of a gazelle”. The animal is called Ghizaal, from which the English word gazelles stems, or Kastori haran (where haran refers to deer) in Urdu. Ghazals are traditionally expressions of love, understood as a poetic expression of both the pain of loss or separation and the beauty of love in spite of that pain. The form is ancient, originating in 10th century Persian verse. The structural requirements of the ghazal are more stringent than those of most poetic forms traditionally written in English. It is considered by many to be one of the principal poetic forms the Persian civilization offered to the eastern Islamic world.

The ghazal spread into South Asia in the 12th century under the influence of the new Islamic Sultanate courts and Sufi mystics. Exotic to the region, as is indicated by the very sounds of the name itself when properly pronounced as ġazal. Although the ghazal is most prominently a form of Urdu poetry, today, it has influenced the poetry of many languages. Most Ghazal singers are trained in classical music and sing in either Khyal or Thumri.

Qawwali Music

Qawwali (Urdu: قوٌالی) is the devotional music of the Chishti Sufis. The roots of Qawwali can be traced back to 8th century Persia, however, Qawwali in the form we know it today was essentially created by Amir Khusrau in the late 13th century. Originally performed mainly at Sufi shrines throughout the subcontinent, it has also gained mainstream popularity. Qawwali music received international exposure through the work of the late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and sabri brothers, largely due to several releases on the Real World label, followed by live appearances at WOMAD festivals. Listeners and often artists themselves are transported to a state of wajad, a trance-like state where they feel at one with God, generally considered to be the height of spiritual ecstasy in Sufism.

During the first major migration from Persia, in the 11th century, the musical tradition of Sama migrated to South Asia, Turkey and Uzbekistan. Rumi and his Mevlana order of Sufism have been the propagators of Sama in Central Asia. Amir Khusrau of the Chisti order of Sufis is credited with fusing the Persian and South Asian musical traditions, to create Qawwali as well as the classical music tradition. The word “Sama” is used (or is the preferred name) in Central Asia and Turkey, for forms very similar to Qawwali while in Pakistan, the formal name used for a session of Qawwali is “Mehfil-e-Sama“.

Qawwali Party

A group of qawwali musicians, called a party, typically consists of eight or nine men-women are, for all intents, one or two side singers, one or two harmoniums (which may be played by lead singer, side singer or someone else), and percussion. If there is only one percussionist, he plays the tabla and dholak, usually the tabla with the left hand and the dholak with the right. Often there will be two percussionists, in which case one might play the tabla and the other the dholak. There is also a chorus of four or five men who repeat key verses, and who aid and abet percussion by hand-clapping. The performers sit in two rows-the lead singer, side singers and harmonium players in the front row, and the chorus and percussionists in the back row.

Folk Music

Pakistani folk music deals with subjects surrounding daily life in less grandiose terms than the love and emotion usually contained in its traditional and classical counterpart. In Pakistan, each province has its own variation of popular folk music.

Pakistan has created many famous singers in this discipline such as the late Alam lohar, who was very influential in the period of 1940 until 1979: he created the concept of jugni and this has been a folk song ever since, and he sang heer, sufiana kalaams, mirza, sassi and many more famous folk stories. He created the style of singing with the chimta and since his death Arif Lohar has carried on with his father’s tradition alongside adopting his own unique style, such as the new acclaimed and successful album 21 Century Jugni.

Hamd and Nasheed

This is a type of Islamic religious music. Hamd is a poetrical verse to express the love for God (Allah) and Naseheed on the other hand expresses the love for the Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H).

‘Hamd’ is also used extensively in Christian religious music from Pakistan and all over the world where people from this region are found.’Hamd’ is not the exclusive domain of any religion.

As pointed out – it denotes praise to God, it is more extensively used in the Muslim world. It is usually used in conjunction with the Sanna and referred to as ‘Hamd – o – Sanna’.

Coke Studio (Pakistan)

Coke Studio is a Pakistani music television series which features live studio-recorded music performances by various artists. It is sponsored by Coca Cola Pakistan.

Coke Studio was first run in 8 June 2008 in Pakistan and has now become an international franchise, with other countries adopting local versions. It is produced by Rohail Hyatt, founder of the first Pakistani pop band Vital Signs and from Season 7 by Strings. Its featured artists on each episode are backed by a house band and guest artists.

Coke Studio has been popular throughout the country, receiving critical acclaim and frequently being rebroadcast on numerous television and radio stations.

The program focuses on a fusion of the diverse musical influences in Pakistan, including eastern classical, folk, qawwali, ghazal, bhangra, Sufi and contemporary hip hop, rock and pop music. The show provides a platform for renowned as well as upcoming and less mainstream artists, of various genres, regions, countries and languages, to collaborate musically in live studio recording sessions.

Coke Studio has also starred Pakistani music icons like Abida Parween, Atif Aslam, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Noori and many others.

East Meets West

Pakistani music in the 21st century revitalized itself to become a popular sound throughout the region and world. Pakistan music today has a rich blend of classical and Pakistani folk music with western sounds leading the music industry to rebuild and re-establish itself. The industry began to pick up in late 2003, when media laws in Pakistan became more relaxed, and resulted in a mass explosion of private Pakistani television channels.

Pop Music

Pakistani pop music refers to popular music forms in Pakistan. Pakistani pop is a mixture of traditional Pakistani classical music and western influences of jazz, rock and roll, hip hop and disco sung in various languages of Pakistan, including Urdu.

Pakistani pop music is attributed to have given birth to the genre in the South Asian region with Ahmed Rushdi‘s song ‘Ko Ko Korina’ in 1966.

From Rushdi’s pop hits to songs sung by the Hassan siblings, to bands including Junoon, Vital Signs, Jal and Strings, the Pakistani pop industry has steadily spread throughout South Asia and today is the most popular genre in Pakistan and the neighbouring South Asian countries and is listened by members of the South Asian diaspora, all around the world.

Pop artists like Atif Aslam, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and Ali Zafar are equally popular in India and songs sung by Pakistani pop artists are a regular feature on soundtracks of most of the Bollywood movies.

Pakistani rock  in Pakistan began in the 1980s with the arrival of cassettes of Western rock music groups such as Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple and Van Halen. The Western-influenced rock music began to be notice by the public and the underground concerts were held all over the country by emerging local artists.

Today there is a variety of rock music that is largely produced in Pakistan and that became popular in South Asia. Pakistani rock incorporates elements of both British–American rock and Pakistani classical music. It has had its own distinctive elements, such as a home grown class of sounds and melodies, spanning progressive rock, hard rock, and heavy metal, initially influencing the development of heavy metal music.

New musical talent emerged in Pakistan in such as Entity Paradigm, Aaroh, Mizraab, Mizmaar, Fuzon, Raeth, Noori, Mechal Hassan Band, Jal, Roxen etc and made their name by producing quality music. All these groups have millions of fans across the world including in other parts of South Asia. New female singers like Ainee Khalid, Abresham and Abeer kept the music scene alive.

Rock music has developed so much in Pakistan, that it already has two sub-genere’s. The Pakistani band Junoon popularised a genre of music called Sufi rock (influenced from legend Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan) that blended traditional Pakistani folk and Sufi music with western rock.

The West Connection

There are more than 10 million expatriates who live outside of Pakistan mainly in countries like Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, the United States, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Malaysia and many other countries. With this large population lots of musical talent has been produced, some of which is world recognized! Some names include UK based Adnan Sami Khan, Dubai based Shahzaman, NY based DJ Aphlatoon and Holland based Imran Khan.

Rap and Hip Hop

Although hip hop and rap have not taken root in Pakistan, many musicians of Pakistani origin have begun to enter the hip hop industry. One of the most well known Artists is Hamza Javeed – an Islamabad based rapper, who’s powerful voice, aggressive bars, and uncompromising attitude set him aside from the rest.

Another rising revolution from Lahore is the S.T.T. which comprises of about six rappers and they have been doing freestyle rap on TV shows as well. The first name as an Exclusive Deejay; DJ STT who happens to play House, Progressive, Tribal, Soca, Chutney, Hiphop, R&B and Urban music