Theory Systems
Modern Indian Classical Music (and Dance) theory had its beginnings at least five thousand years ago. As time has passed, it has grown and changed into a complex system based in rhythm and melody. Melody is the most important part in the Indian music. Systems of melodic ideas called 'raga' drives musical pieces. Each raga can be thought of as an 'individual' with its own personality. In Indian music, there are 7 main notes or "swaras." These notes can also be found in western music. The names of these 7 notes are Shadja (Sa), Rishab (Re), Gandhar (Ga), Madhyam (Ma), Pancham (Pa), Dhaivat (Dha), and Nishad (Ni). These are commonly found in their symbols making it easier and quicker to read. These 7 notes are named "Saptak" (sapt meaning seven.) This scale is the the same as the Western major scale. If we look at a piano, we can look at an octave say middle C to C, there are 7 different white notes and 5 different black notes. The 7 note pattern is as follows in the C major scale: Tone, Tone , Semi-Tone, Tone, Tone, Tone, and Semi-tone. The degrees are major, minor, minor, major, major, minor and diminished. Now in the Indian scale of Shadja (the same as C), there are 5 "altered notes" and they are called vikrit swara-s. The original notes are called shudha swara-s. The term "komal" means soft or flat, and the term tĩvra means sharp. For example of a tĩvra would be the swara-s between Ma and Pa, named Ma. The swara-s Sa and Pa do not have any flats or sharps because they are "achal" or unchangeable. In Western music the frequencies of the notes are fixed, for example the A in the middle octave is 440 Hz. This does not take place in Indian music. The relative frequency is more important than the absolute frequency.
Here re, ga, dha and ni are lowered pitch-wise
and me is a raised variant of ma. Sa and pa are never changed.
Re, Ga, Dha and Ni are lowered pitch-wise and me is a raised variant of ma. Sa and Pa are never changed.
and me is a raised variant of ma. Sa and pa are never changed.
Re, Ga, Dha and Ni are lowered pitch-wise and me is a raised variant of ma. Sa and Pa are never changed.
- SA
will be treated as being like DOH in Tonic Solfa - RE
will be treated as being like RE in Tonic Solfa - GA
will be treated as being like MI in Tonic Solfa - MA
will be treated as being like FA in Tonic Solfa - PA
will be treated as being like SOH in Tonic Solfa - DHA
will be treated as being like LA in Tonic Solfa - NI
will be treated as being like TI in Tonic Solfa