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Raji Ram
Active member
Fundamentals of the Raga . Part I
Understanding ragas and their flavors takes a lifetime to understand its potencies in full. However, before one reaches that high of level,
it is important to know how ragas are technically made. Any combination of notes does not make a raga. In addition, a simple scale does
not make a raga. Raga is a melody-based mode that has emotions, expressions, and patterns. According to MatangaMuni, a "raga" is
what "colors the mind.”
Rules of the Raga
1) A raga must have a minimum of five notes.
More combinations can be made with at least five notes. Only two notable exceptions have four note ragas.
2) A raga may not have two forms of the consecutive note together.
One may not have the different forms of the same note together. For instance, S r g G g is not allowed as ga has its pure and
flat forms being consecutive. They may be sandwiched however: S r g m G r g. Of course, there are notable exceptions to this rule.
3) A raga must have Sa
Every musical scale MUST have a tonic. Sa may be used the least, but it must exist in order for the other notes to function. "Sa" is short
for "Sadja" which means "the origin of six." Without the origin, the other six cannot function.
4) A raga must have a Re or Ga, or both.
It would be helpful to think of a raga as a cake. There must be layers in there. Either Re or Ga can exist in either form, but a raga cannot be
without either of these notes together.
5) A raga must have a Ma or Pa, or both.
Pa is the perfect fifth. Perfect fifths imply stability. Pa can exist, or ma (pure or augmented) can exist or both can exist.
To be continued..........
Source: Fundamentals of the Raga
Understanding ragas and their flavors takes a lifetime to understand its potencies in full. However, before one reaches that high of level,
it is important to know how ragas are technically made. Any combination of notes does not make a raga. In addition, a simple scale does
not make a raga. Raga is a melody-based mode that has emotions, expressions, and patterns. According to MatangaMuni, a "raga" is
what "colors the mind.”
Rules of the Raga
1) A raga must have a minimum of five notes.
More combinations can be made with at least five notes. Only two notable exceptions have four note ragas.
2) A raga may not have two forms of the consecutive note together.
One may not have the different forms of the same note together. For instance, S r g G g is not allowed as ga has its pure and
flat forms being consecutive. They may be sandwiched however: S r g m G r g. Of course, there are notable exceptions to this rule.
3) A raga must have Sa
Every musical scale MUST have a tonic. Sa may be used the least, but it must exist in order for the other notes to function. "Sa" is short
for "Sadja" which means "the origin of six." Without the origin, the other six cannot function.
4) A raga must have a Re or Ga, or both.
It would be helpful to think of a raga as a cake. There must be layers in there. Either Re or Ga can exist in either form, but a raga cannot be
without either of these notes together.
5) A raga must have a Ma or Pa, or both.
Pa is the perfect fifth. Perfect fifths imply stability. Pa can exist, or ma (pure or augmented) can exist or both can exist.
To be continued..........
Source: Fundamentals of the Raga
