Classical Indian music meets modern technology with new app

An innovative new iPad app had been created to bring classical Indian music to a new audience. The app called Khyal , has been developed by experts from Durham University's Department of Music. It allows users to watch audio-visual recordings of traditional north Indian 'khyal' music and use an inbuilt sound mixer to learn more about its structure, technique and history. The app is designed to encourage people to engage with Indian classical music in a new way and understand the rich history and musical technique behind it. First of its kind Researchers believe the app, which will be available free of charge from late November 2016, is the first of its kind for this genre of music. It has been developed as part of a wider project called Khyal: Music and Imagination , which has explored how people engage with traditional 'khyal' music and how music can inspire visual art. Dr Laura Leante , Principal Investigator for Khyal: Music and Imagination and Lecturer in Ethnomusicology in the Department of Music, said: "The app is intended to help people experience traditional Indian classical music in a new way and to be able to learn more about the music as they listen to it.