ABSTRACT
This chapter presents a description of karnatic concepts and techniques, subdivided into four sections that share a common denominator: 'Foundations', 'Exclusively Creative Techniques', 'Motta Kannakku' and 'Recent Developments'. As a general way to explain their main red-thread while developing ideas, Indian musicians frequently use the image of a branch on a branch on a branch: every idea can be utilised only once but never only once. In other words, every musical event is and should be susceptible to further development but never repeated without any sort of alteration. Karnatic musicians are fond of finishing most musical events with a mukthay. A nadai bhedam sequence is no exception. Nadai bhedam uses the gati/jathi combinations as a starting point, but with a completely different goal and result from gati bhedam or anuloma-pratiloma.
