Indian Classical Music And Sikh Kirtan
by Gobind Singh Mansukhani (M.A., LL.B, Ph.D.) © 1982
Basic Notes
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by Gobind Singh Mansukhani (M.A., LL.B, Ph.D.) © 1982
Basic Notes
Indian Classical Music And Sikh Kirtan by Gobind Singh Mansukhani (M.A., LL.B, Ph.D.) © 1982 Basic Notes |
| Basic Notes There are seven basic notes which are called shudh (natural or pure). They are shadja, rishabha, ghandhara, madhyama, panchama, dhaivata, and nishada. In short form, they are known as S, R, G, M, P, D, and N. This group of Indian solfa notes is called a saptak (seven notes of diatonic scale). There are three types of saptak: mandra/mandar (lower), madhya (middle), tara (higher). The three series will take the following form on a harmonium. A dot under the notes indicates mandra, and a dot over the notes indicates tara saptak, while the madhya (middle) scale has no dot over the notes. In addition, there are four komal (soft or flat) notes: R, G, D, N, and one teevra/teebra (sharp) note: M. which is written as M to distinguish it from M shudh, thus making a total of 12 notes in the chromatic scale. These five are called modified (vikrita) notes. _____________________________________________________ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |_____________________________________________________| In western notation these notes are as follows: doh, re, mi, fa, sal, la, ti and their symbols are d, r, m, f, s, l, t; the sharp notes are : ra, ma, fa, la ta. In C scale these are indicated as under: C, D, E, F, G, A, B, and the sharp notes are Db, Eb, Fb, Ab, Bb. In Indian notation, the 12 notes are written in the following symbols: S, _R_, R, _G_, G, M, M, P, _D_, D, _N_N. S can start from any note, and it represents the key of C in western notation. |