SWARAS AND SWARASTHANAS

Figure 2: Swaras for one kattai reference pitch

The numbering used above allows one to easily locate the swaras on fretted string instruments (veena, mandolin etc.). One simply counts up the frets till the desired swara is reached. For example, if a Sa is played on a particular fret, to get a Prati Madhyamam, one simply moves up 6 frets on the same string (moving six steps from 1 results in 7, the number denoting the Prati Madhyamam). The Ra-Ri-Ru notation exists chiefly for convenience and is not used very widely. In conformance with that practice, this document will point out when the notation is being used. In the absence of such an indication, Ra should be taken to imply not Suddha Rishabam but a generic Rishabam. The following keyboard diagrams show the locations of the swaras for one kattai and four and a half kattai reference pitch using the ra-ri-ru notation.   A similar indication can be easily made up for fretted string  instruments simply by using the swara sthana table and counting up the frets starting from Sa

 [ Back ] [ A Carnatic Music Primer ] [ Up ] [ Next ]