Another meaning of gáyan is the rule, method or style of singing songs. In various countries songs are sung differently at particular stages of time in diverse rágas and rágińiis. Again, the style of rendition varies from one saḿgiitajiṋa or virtuoso to another … It is bound to vary with changes in the traditional style of rendition (gharáńás) created by noted families of musicians.

Yes, why have I used here the word saḿgiitajiṋa [virtuoso] and not saḿgiit shilpii for an artist? In Sanskrit, the word shilpana means an activity done with one’s hands that requires artistic skill (in a word, handicraft). Suppose, a certain carpenter made a bedstead. It was done with his or her hands. Hence we shall say that the bedstead is a handicraft and the carpenter an artist. But the song sung by a singer is in no way a work done by hand. So the word saḿgiita shilpii is a misnomer. Be that as it may, those who play a musical instrument have scope to display the dexterity of their hands. Hence you can call an instrumentalist an artist.