Jor (music)

In Hindustani classical music, the jor (Hindi: जोर, ; also spelt jod and jhor) is a formal section of composition in the long elaboration ("alap") of a raga that forms the beginning of a performance. It comes after "alap" and precedes "jhala", the climax. Jor is the instrumental equivalent of nomtom in the dhrupad vocal style of Indian music. Both have a simple pulse but no well-defined rhythmic cycle.
Origin and Terminology.
Jor (or Jod) is an instrumental interpretation of nomtom which is an introductory style that is characterised by its modest rhythm and lack of rhythmic cycle (also known as tal) .
 Jor is present in most Hindustani classical music through the raga, as an articulate and rapid pulse that the alap transitions into, followed by jhala .
In Hindustani Music.
Indian classical music is divided into 2 sections: Hindustani and Carnatic Music. Both musical styles inhabit the core traditions of Indian culture and are portrayed as one of the most prestigious types of music. Hindustani Music is primarily found in the Northern areas of India, Bangladesh and Pakistan. Raga and Dhrupad are the two main forms of Hindustani classical music and form the prominent structure of Indian Classical Music . The musical section of Jor, is prominent in Raga and follows the cyclical and linear progression of Hindustani music .
Raga.
Raga is derived from Sanskrit and is defined as ‘the act of colouring and dyeing,’ . Amongst Indian Classical Music, raga is identified as the basic melodic framework and acts as a communication medium for two musicians. A raga utilises a particular scale and combines it with prototypical melodic patterns, creating combinations of tonic intervals which evoke unique emotions . A typical raga composition is shown as sequences of events, starting with the alap and followed by the gat. The Jor is situated between the alap and jhala, commonly known as the instrumental alap-jor-jhala-gat format. This format is the foundation of Dhrupad as was introduced into the West in the 20th Century .
In a full performance, the Raga can be spilt into three sections, the alap, jor and jhala. Within the Jor and Jhala, a pulse can be heard throughout . These sections, especially Jor is described as not a beat nor a ryhtmn but a movement that helps the Raga gain momentum in the beginning of the piece . The frameworks and methods employed may vary according to whether the raga is performed by a vocalist or an instrumentalist.
Dhrupad.
Dhrupad is another form of Raga that is older and restricts the alap, jor and jhala sections in such a way that is heard more frequently in present day . In Dhrupad, its distinctive feature is the climatic beginning in comparison to Raga’s ascending composition. It also focuses on a longer and more structured version of the alap-jor section. The jor section in Dhrupad can be heard by its increasingly articulated and rapid pulse. The theme of intensification is prominent as the subsequent switch from the alap to jor, that is identified as more rhythmic once it reaches the Jor section. A common instrument utilised throughout Dhrupad, in the Jor, is the Rudra Vina, a string instrument that evokes a melodic rhythm .
A study conducted by Napier (2019), portrays that the end point of the Dhrupad is the articulation of the last note played in the Alap during the Jor section. It also notes that there is a large sectionalisation in the Dhrupad that is obvious in Jor as the consistency in regard to rhythmic composition is hard to recognise in Dhrupad. 
Structure.
Jor acts the second introduction after the alap, within a raga performance. It follows a similar structure to alap, with a shift in rhythmic style. As the raga transitions into the Jor, the pulse is introduced by the melody instrumentalist . The Jor utilises the features of scale and patterns in the previous section (alap) and improvises to create a new variation of these features . During jor, the performance must maintain a steady pulse with the exclusion of drums, which remains the same throughout alap, jor and jhala .
An instrumental performance of jor consists of a sitarist who plucks certain notes on a guitar or another instrument, with a consistent rhythm. A vocal performance of jor has a vocalist singing each phrase in equal time .
In musical notation, jor follows the same notes as alap, with a constant steady beat between each. The distinction between alap and jor is made between the increase in regularity in the jor in comparison to previous alap section . Similarly, the basic sound sequence in this section is formed by chikari events to evoke a prominent timbral-rhythmic pattern . The relationship between the two, forms the definition of a bridge that is connected with the light characteristics of alap and followed by the controlled design of the raga, where the drums decide the join into the arrangement . The theme formed in the introduction of the Alap, is continued to Jor, where the drums and rhythmic beats are excluded, and the chosen melodic instrument is strummed at an accelerated pace or the performer increases the phrasing of each syllable .
An experiment conducted by Will, Clayton, Wertheim, Leante, Berg (2014 ) shows that the pulse progression in the Jor and Alap sections of Raga are distinctively different . The alap shows that there are at least nine different pulse rates, whilst in Jor there are only three. These characteristics in the Jor that distinguish it from the other sections are what creates different responses from audiences. 