Basic

Swara

Indian music has seven notes or swaras as with all systems of music. Swara is defined as "that which is able to please of its own accord". These seven swaras are called Shadjamam, Rishabham, Gandharam, Madhyamam, Panchamam, Dhivatham and Nishadham. These are often represented as Sa, Re, Ga, Ma, Pa, Da and Ne, by their first syllable.

Swara and Swara Stanam

Of these seven swaras, Sa and Pa donot admit variations and are called achala (fixed) or avikratha (changeless) swaras. The other five (Re, Ga, Ma, Da and Ne) admint of two varieties each. The terms Komal and Tivra are used to distinguish these two, with komala swaram lower in note than the tivra swaram. Thus we have

Sudha (Komal) and Chathusruthi (Tivra) Rishabam,Sadharana (komal) and Antara (tivra) gandharam, Sudha (Komal) and Prati (Tivra) Madhyamam, Sudha (Komal) and Chatussruthi (Tivra) dhivatham and Kaisiki (komal) and Kakali (Tivra) Nishadham.

With this, there are 12 distictive swaras corresponding to notes in Carnatic Music.

In addition, four of the swaras, Ri, Ga, Da and Ne extend to another variety overlaping with the next swarastanam. This give rise to four more swaras totalling 16. Note however that the note (swara stana) is shared between two swaras.

1. Shadjama

• S = Shadjama = First key of the octave= C(western)
  

2. Rishaba

• R1 = Shudhdha Rishabha = Second key of the octave=C#(western)
• R2 = Chathushruthi Rishabha = Third key of the octave=D(western)
• R3 = Sathshruthi Rishabha = Fourth key of the octave=D#/Eb(western)

3. Gandhara

• G1 = Shudhdha Gandhara = Third key of the octave=D(western)
• G2 = Sadharana Gandhara = Fourth key of the octave=D#/Eb(western)
• G3 = Anthara Gandhara= Fifth key of the octave=E(western)

4. Madhyama

• M1 = Shudhdha Madhyama = Sixth key of the octave=F(western)
• M2 = Prathi Madhyama = Seventh key of the octave=F#/Gb(western)

5. Panchama

• P = Panchama = Eigth key of the octave=G(western)

6. Daivatha

• D1 = Shudhdha Daivatha = Nineth key of the octave=G#/Ab(western)
• D2 = Chathushruthi Daivatha = Tenth key of the octave=A(western)
• D3 = Sathshruthi Daivatha = Eleventh key of the octave=A#/Bb(western)

7. Nishadha

• N1 = Shudhdha Nishadha = Tenth key of the octave=A(western)
• N2 = Kaishika Nishadha = Eleventh key of the octave=A#/Bb(western)
• N3 = Kaakali Nishadha = Twelveth key of the octave=B(western)

The sudha swaras, also known as Prakrithi swaras, have the prefix Sudha. This is usually the lowest pitched note for that swara. The vikratha swaras have prefixes like chatussruthi, shatshuruthi, sadharana, antara, etc. In Hindustani music, sudha swara usually refer to Sankarabharana scale (Bilval).