Melakarta 1 · Indu chakra · M1 · vivadi
Kanakangi
कनकाङ्गी
Kanakangi is the 1st melakarta raga. Its scale is S R1 G1 M1 P D1 N1.
Hear it from musicians
Signature phrases for Kanakangi, recorded by musicians in the community and curated by Jason Zac. Every phrase carries the artist’s name and link — add your own voice to this raga.
The scale and its Western intervals
Reading up from Sa, Kanakangi is built from a minor second, a diminished third, a perfect fourth, a perfect fifth, a minor sixth, a diminished seventh. In Carnatic terms that is S R1 G1 M1 P D1 N1; in Hindustani sargam, S r R m P d D.
| Degree | Swara | Interval |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | S | unison (1) |
| 2 | R1 | minor second (m2) |
| 3 | G1 | diminished third (d3) |
| 4 | M1 | perfect fourth (P4) |
| 5 | P | perfect fifth (P5) |
| 6 | D1 | minor sixth (m6) |
| 7 | N1 | diminished seventh (d7) |
How Kanakangi harmonizes
Stack thirds on each note of Kanakangi and these chords appear. Home is the chord on Sa; the chord on Pa is the dominant that pulls back to it.
- Isus2 Csus2 suspended secondhome
- VII+ Bbbaug augmenteddominant
- V· G(cluster) clusterdominant
- II Db majorpredominant
- iv Fm minorpredominant
- IIIsus4 Ebbsus4 suspended fourthcolour
- VI♭5 Ab(b5) major flat fivecolour
Learn the method in how to harmonize a raga.
Music to learn in Kanakangi
Kanakangi is met most often as a parent scale for study and improvisation. Much of its living music flows through janya ragas; a good next step is to sing its scale slowly over a tanpura and explore its phrases in the 3D sphere.
Questions about Kanakangi
What is the Kanakangi raga?
Kanakangi is melakarta number 1 in the 72-raga system of Carnatic music. Its scale is S R1 G1 M1 P D1 N1.
What are the janya ragas of Kanakangi?
Kanakangi is heard mainly as a parent scale; much Carnatic repertoire lives in the janya ragas of other melakartas.