Carnatic Music - I (Swaras)
SWARAS
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The most basic unit of music is the swara (or note) which simply indicates the pitch of the sound. The vedic chantings used to be in three swaras which later became seven and thus was born Carnatic Music. These swaras form the pillars of Carnatic Music. There are seven swaras namely
Shadjam (Sa)
Rishabam (Ri)
Gandharam (Ga)
Madhyamam (Ma)
Panchamam (Pa)
Dhaivatham (Da)
Nishadam (Ni).
The seven swaras are mythologically associated with the sounds produced by certain animals and the names of the swaras are related to the names of these animals. However the name Madhyamam also appears to be derived from Madhya - the centre position in the octave.
Some of these seven swaras have more than one frequency associated with it, thereby forming twelve SWARASTHANAS (frequency positions). Out of these twelve swarasthanas, there are four pairs of swaras that share the same frequency. They are given different swara names based on the raaga(to abide by the rules of the raaga).
This leads to a total of 16 swaras
7 basic swaras + 5 swaras having two frequencies + 4 pairs of swaras sharing the same frequency = 16
This final swara list is as follows...
1 Shadjam Sa
2 Suddha Rishabam Ri, Small Ri
3 Chatusruthi Rishabam Ri, Big Ri
Suddha Gandharam Ga
4 Shatsruthi Rishabam Ri
Sadharana Gandharam Ga, Small Ga
5 Anthara Gandharam Ga, Big Ga
6 Suddha Madhyamam Ma, Small Ma
7 Prati Madhyamam Mi, Big Ma
8 Panchamam Pa
9 Suddha Dhaivatham Da,Small Da
10 Chatusruthi Dhaivatham Da, Big Da
Suddha Nishadam Ni
11 Shatsruthi Dhaivatham Du
Kaisika Nishadham Ni, Small Ni
12 Kakali Nishadham Ni, Big Ni
This might be misleading as one might think that there are sixteen different positions in an octave. But there are only twelve. Just that four pairs swaras-sthanas mentioned above share the same position. Ex: Shatsruthi Rishaban and Sadharana Gaandhaaram. This can be well understood with the help of a piano/harmonium/veena where every note is distinctly played.
To easily understand the swaras in english, they are labelled as
S1, R1 R2, G1 G2, M1 M2, P, D1 D2, N1 N2. Doubling the pitch of a swara gives the same swara belonging to the next higher octave!!!
The combinations of these swaras give rise to melodies which can then be classified on the basis of the swaras that are used.
Still to come..
GAMAKAS
RAAGA
-----------
The most basic unit of music is the swara (or note) which simply indicates the pitch of the sound. The vedic chantings used to be in three swaras which later became seven and thus was born Carnatic Music. These swaras form the pillars of Carnatic Music. There are seven swaras namely
Shadjam (Sa)
Rishabam (Ri)
Gandharam (Ga)
Madhyamam (Ma)
Panchamam (Pa)
Dhaivatham (Da)
Nishadam (Ni).
The seven swaras are mythologically associated with the sounds produced by certain animals and the names of the swaras are related to the names of these animals. However the name Madhyamam also appears to be derived from Madhya - the centre position in the octave.
Some of these seven swaras have more than one frequency associated with it, thereby forming twelve SWARASTHANAS (frequency positions). Out of these twelve swarasthanas, there are four pairs of swaras that share the same frequency. They are given different swara names based on the raaga(to abide by the rules of the raaga).
This leads to a total of 16 swaras
7 basic swaras + 5 swaras having two frequencies + 4 pairs of swaras sharing the same frequency = 16
This final swara list is as follows...
1 Shadjam Sa
2 Suddha Rishabam Ri, Small Ri
3 Chatusruthi Rishabam Ri, Big Ri
Suddha Gandharam Ga
4 Shatsruthi Rishabam Ri
Sadharana Gandharam Ga, Small Ga
5 Anthara Gandharam Ga, Big Ga
6 Suddha Madhyamam Ma, Small Ma
7 Prati Madhyamam Mi, Big Ma
8 Panchamam Pa
9 Suddha Dhaivatham Da,Small Da
10 Chatusruthi Dhaivatham Da, Big Da
Suddha Nishadam Ni
11 Shatsruthi Dhaivatham Du
Kaisika Nishadham Ni, Small Ni
12 Kakali Nishadham Ni, Big Ni
This might be misleading as one might think that there are sixteen different positions in an octave. But there are only twelve. Just that four pairs swaras-sthanas mentioned above share the same position. Ex: Shatsruthi Rishaban and Sadharana Gaandhaaram. This can be well understood with the help of a piano/harmonium/veena where every note is distinctly played.
To easily understand the swaras in english, they are labelled as
S1, R1 R2, G1 G2, M1 M2, P, D1 D2, N1 N2. Doubling the pitch of a swara gives the same swara belonging to the next higher octave!!!
The combinations of these swaras give rise to melodies which can then be classified on the basis of the swaras that are used.
Still to come..
GAMAKAS
RAAGA
posted by g'Krish at
7:59 PM
5 Comments:
wogay da gkrish! kalakki podu...
hmm...edho da! whatever i know n read! thats all!! to create more interest u see...
more interest among ur readers u mean?
i see an ulterior motive here...
kadala manna :D :P
dei...where do u get the templates from da?
dei! its for me da! if its for some of my readers, well n good!!! n u can pick some templates from blogger-templates.blogspot. google dude! u get plenty!
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