Music notes

 

In traditional western music theory pitch classes are represented by the first seven letters of the Latin alphabet A, B, C, D, E, F and G. The eighth note or octave is given the same name as the first, but has double its frequency. The name octave is also used to indicate the span of notes having a frequency ratio of two.

 

The seven basic notes of the scale (swaras), in Indian music are named shadja, rishabh, gandhar, madhyam, pancham, dhaivat and nishad, and are shortened to Sa, Ri (Carnatic) or Re (Hindustani), Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, and Ni and written S, R, G, M, P, D, N. Collectively these notes are known as the sargam (the word is an acronym of the consonants of the first four swaras). Sargam is the Indian equivalent to solfege, a technique for the teaching of sight-singing. Sargam is practiced against a drone. The tone Sa is not associated with any particular pitch. As in Western moveable-Do solfège, Sa refers to the tonic of a piece or scale rather than to any particular pitch.

 

The swaras Shadjam and Panchamam are fixed and they have no variety . They are called Prakrti Swaras . Remaining five swaras have two varieties each , one komal ( lower note ) and Tirvra ( Long note ) . They are Vikrthi swaras . They are 10 altogether . The total number of swaras are twelve and they are:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chatusruti Rishabham and Suddha Gandharam

Sadharana Gandharam and Shat Sruti Rishabham

Chatusruti Dhaivatam and Suddha Nishadam

Kaisiki Nishadam and Shat Sruthi Dhaivatam

Hence the total number of Swaras are 16, while the total number f varasthanas are twelve.