While the Phú melodies are performed in triple time, Dọc melodies are sung in duple time. Duple time means that two out of four beats are played by the cảnh cymbals. nhị cú means each section includes a pair of six-eight metre and a pair of seven-seven-six-eight metre. Other special characteristic of Dọc is that the first verse with six words is sung in the style of vay trả or gối hạc. The cung văn will sing four ending words of the sentence with six words in advance, and then sing the sentences with four words and then six words. Luyện means that its lyrics are sung repeatedly. In the past, only hát văn included the Cờn Luyện melody, in which two Cờn sentences and one Luyện sentence are sung. Gradually, the cung văn applied the Luyện style to the Dọc melody; thus, it is called Dọc Luyện. Two first sentences are sung with the Dọc style and the third and last sentences with seven words are sung with the Luyện style. The third sentence with seven words, performed with the Luyện style, is sung with the principle of singing the first word once, two next words twice, and the remaining four words twice.

Thổng is performed in dây bằng, triple time, and at a moderate tempo. Triple time means that three out of four beats are played with two sticks by the right hand at the same time on the cảnh (small cymbal) and the phách (clappers). The left hand is used to roll on the clappers or play the drum. Thổng is used to sing six-eight-seven-seven metre (6-8-7-7).

This is a kirtana in six beats. The lyrics, Tulasī-dalamūlacē santōṣamuga, translated from Telugu mean “I worshipped you with tulasī leaves, Śrī Rāma.” The first track is an extended performance in the important, traditional and popular rāga māyamālavagauḷa, which is traditionally the rāga in which beginners learn their scales and other technical exercises. It is a subtle rāga whose notes do not take much oscillation without spoiling the mood and identity of the rāga. As is the way with the periya mēḷam tradition, this performance starts with the tavil player followed by the nāgasvaram player exploring the rāga in an extended improvisation. It’s important to note that, though the drummer plays along with the nāgasvaram player, the latter plays completely unmetered melodic passages. This juxtaposition of metered and unmetered playing is an aspect almost unique to the periya mēḷam, though singers and other instrumentalists sometimes indulge in this. At the Navaratri music festival in Trivandrum, in particular, singers and players of melodic instruments are required to perform ālāpana with a drummer.