Sa Ri Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni Sa-Tabs

Sa Ri Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni Sa
Tabbed By:E E V
11/02/05

Hi
This is our famous 'sa ri ga ma' the first lesson taught on almost all
classical music classes.Sounds cool and sets the mood if U dothe vocals
along with your Guitar.Plz Send if u figure out any other versions.
Waiting 4 Your Comments.

Code:

	Version-1

	E----------------------------------------------------------------
	B----------------------0--1--------------------------------------
	G----------------0--1--------------------------------------------
	D----------2--3--------------------------------------------------
	A----3--4--------------------------------------------------------
	E----------------------------------------------------------------
	     Sa Ri Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni Sa

	Version-2

	E---------------------2--3---------------------------------------
	B---------------2--4---------------------------------------------
	G---0--2--4--5---------------------------------------------------
	D----------------------------------------------------------------
	A----------------------------------------------------------------
	E----------------------------------------------------------------
	    Sa Ri Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni Sa
	
	Version-3

	E---------------------2--3---------------------------------------
	B---------------3--4---------------------------------------------
	G---------4--5---------------------------------------------------
	D---5--6---------------------------------------------------------
	A----------------------------------------------------------------
	E----------------------------------------------------------------
	    Sa Ri Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni Sa

THX
E E V

Version 1:
In one notation, this would be S R1 G3 M1 P D1 N3 S
The base Sa is the note C
Thats the raaga Maayamalavagowla, the typical beginning raaga for learning carnatic music (vocally)

Version 2:
In the same notation, this would be S R2 G3 M1 M2 D1 N3 S
where the base Sa is the note D
This does not have a Pa (perfect fifth) but has two Ma's
Conventional carnatic raagas typically don't have two Ma's.
Was that a typo or was this what you really intended?

Version 3:
This is again Mayamaalavagowla, but with the base Sa as the note G

So version 2 is the black sheep.

I will post some interesting Carnatic raagas with tabs later today.

Hi
Ananth i know nothing abt carnatic music.Ver 2 wasn't a typo.
I got these notes when i was playing coz it matched tune sa ri ga..
if ver 2 is wrong discard it.ne way Thx 4 the info.By the way can u get.
the tabs for suphrabhatam.

Can u tab any Mallu Songs plz

Version-1 - [ Modified ]

E----------------------------------------------------------------
B----------------------0--1--------------------------------------
G----------------0--2--------------------------------------------
D-------0--2--3--------------------------------------------------
A----3----------------------------------------------------------
E----------------------------------------------------------------
Sa Ri Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni Sa


Equivalent for Sa Ri Ga ... in western notes = C D E F G A B C
The changes / modificated suggested

#1 Instead of Ri [ A - 4] its easier to play the open string D
#2 Typo for A [was given a G - 1], wheras it shd be G - 2nd fret .
Cos u the note sequence is G , G#, A, A# hence ..

@scorpio:
your version 1 is a different raaga, namely shankarabharanam
(S R2 G3 M1 P D2 N3 S)

@edatharam.... I liked the version 3. Had really unique tone to it.
@ananth..... Looking forward to ur carnatic raagas on guitar... My parents always thought that music on a western instrument, aint any good for me... I want to show them by playing raagas... varnams.. if possible a couple of kritis to prove my point...

Playing the notes of a raaga on the guitar is one thing, and playing a phrase in carnatic music from that raaga, leave alone varnams and krithis, is an entirely different thing. Playing raagas as opposed to scales requires adherence to certain rules on order of notes, and playing "gamakas", the slides and hammers that make it "sound" carnatic. Anyway, heres some more about raagas as scales you can play on your guitar:

Melakartha Raagas: These raagas essentially have allt he notes Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni Sa, in that order. The Re can be one of 3 possible notes, Ga one of 3, Ma one of 2 and so on. So in all there are 72 Melakartha Raagas (you can work out themath).
One example of melakartha raaga is "Kharaharapriya". The notes of this raaga correspond tot he Dorian mode. The raaga goes: S R2 G2 M1 P D2 N2 S
With the root Sa as C, the tabs for playing this are:

E--------------------------------
B--------------------------------
G----------------2--3--5---------
D-----------3--5-----------------
A--3--5--6-----------------------
E--------------------------------

Another is "keeravaani". S R2 G2 M1 P D1 N3 S
Tabs:

E--------------------------------
B--------------------------------
G-------------------4--5---------
D-----------3--5--6--------------
A--3--5--6-----------------------
E--------------------------------

(note that only Dha and Ni have changed)
If you change the Ma from M1 to M2, you get "Simhendra Madhyamam", another beautiful raaga. Tabs:

E--------------------------------
B--------------------------------
G-------------------4--5---------
D-----------4--5--6--------------
A--3--5--6-----------------------
E--------------------------------


An important concept in raagas is the ascent and descent, or "Aarohanam" and "Avarohanam". In the above raagas, the descent or avarohanam is the reverese of the ascent or aarohanam. But this is not always the case.
A "Janya" raaga is a raaga derived from a Melakartha raaga, but is different in certain ways, such as it does not include all the notes of the melakartha raaga, or has a different ordering of the notes (or both).

Take the melakartha "dheera shankharabharanam" (Ionian mode)
Aarohanam: S R2 G3 M1 P D2 N3 S
Avarohanam: S N3 D2 P M1 G3 R2 S
Tabs:

E----------------------------------------------------------------
B----------------------------------------------------------------
G-------------------2--4--5--5--4--2-----------------------------
D---------2--3--5----------------------5--3--2-------------------
A--3--5------------------------------------------5--3------------
E----------------------------------------------------------------

The raaga "Bilahari" is a Janya raaga derived from this melakartha. It has only 5 notes in the ascent, and all 7 in descent.
Aarohanam: S R2 G3 P D2 S
Avarohanam: S N3 D2 P M1 G3 R2 S
Tabs:

E----------------------------------------------------------
B----------------------------------------------------------
G----------------2--5--5--4--2-----------------------------
D---------2--5-------------------5--3--2-------------------
A--3--5------------------------------------5--3------------
E----------------------------------------------------------

This means that you cannot play the notes Ma and Ni in the ascent, and can play all notes in descent. So a phrase "Ga Ma Pa Ma Ga Re Sa" will be invalid. You can however play "Sa Re Ga Pa Ma Ga Re Sa".

A "Vakra" raaga is one in which the notes appear in a crooked order. For instance, Nalinakaanti (A janya raaga derived from the melakartha called "Sarasaangi")
Aarohanam: S G3 R2 M1 P N3 S
Avarohanam: S N3 P M1 G3 R2 S
Tabs:

E----------------------------------------------------------
B----------------------------------------------------------
G-----------------4--5--5--4-------------------------------
D-----2-----3--5--------------5--3--2-------------------
A--3-----5------------------------------5--3------------
E----------------------------------------------------------

This is odd since Ga appears before Re in the ascent. This means that you cannot play something like "Sa Re Ga Ma Ga Re Sa" but you can play something like "Sa Ga Re Ma Ga Re Sa".
This might seem like a weird restriction but if you practise the ascent and descent int his order strictly and follow the rules, you will find that it sounds quite amazing (and different from playing the ntoes regularly).

Thats it for now, more later.

Ananth ....

.. Go on .. thalaivaa..

Give us more "gyan"



PS: how abt a new thread - Carnatic basics

If you want to play a simple carnatic based tune, check out my tabs for "English Note"

English Note - A western style Carnatic song

5 stars to ananth!

thanx

Man wish I could play the guitar to try out Ananth's lessons! Great job!

Thanks Kishmu!
I'm sure u must know the raagas used in tamil songs, but for others, heres some info
The last raga I mentioned, Nalinakanthi , appears in the following tamil songs:
"Enthan nenjil " by IR

Enthan nenjil neengaatha thendral neethaanaa
Sa Ga Re Ma Ga Re Sa Sa Ga Re Ma Ga


"Manam virumbudhe" Is also in Nalinakanthi, and is suspiciously similar to the carnatic song "Manavyalakimcha Radate" by Tyagaraja, listen to the carnatic version and compare with the filmi version (another suspicious character is "En veettu thottathil by ARR, listen to the carnatic version "Nadavindu" in the raga "shenjurutti" and compare urself)

Also, Kandukondaen Kandukondaen is in Nalinakanthi but appears to have a Dha from shankharabharanam, which brings another point. I mentioned that Nalinakanthi is a janya of Sarasaangi but thats debatable. Sure, the notes are a subset of Sarasangi, but the feel of the raaga is closer to shankharabharanam, so it would be correct to call it a janya of shankharabharanam. Which is why when we bring the "accidental" or "anya swara" dha the shankharabharanam one soudns better (Sarasaangi has the flat dha)

Another classic and my favorite is a really old song by IR called "Chinna kannan azhaikiraan" from the movie "Kavikkuyil", which was sung by Dr Balamuralikrishna. Its in the raaga "Reeti gowla" (janya of kharaharapriya)
Ascent: S G2 R2 G2 M1 N2 D2 M1 N2 N2 S
Descent: S N2 D2 M1 G2 M1 P M1 G2 R2 S
Tabs:

E-----------------------------------------------------
B-----------------------------------------------------
G-------------3-2---3-3-5----5-3-2--------------------
D-----------3-----3-----------------3---3-5-3---------
A--3-6-5-6----------------------------6-------6-5-3---
E-----------------------------------------------------

u can listen to this song in raaga or music india online, its a lovely song.

check out this (rather big) article on the classical aspect of IRs music
http://tfmpage.com/ci/

another very cool song in the raaga nalinakaanthi is kandukonden kandukonden from the same movie.
kishmu has a cool midi for that song. kishmu can u send the chords for that man here on igt?

Jay