Varunapriya

Hear it from musicians

Signature phrases for Varunapriya, 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, Varunapriya is built from a major second, a minor third, a perfect fourth, a perfect fifth, a augmented sixth, a major seventh. In Carnatic terms that is S R2 G2 M1 P D3 N3; in Hindustani sargam, S R g m P n N.

How Varunapriya harmonizes

Stack thirds on each note of Varunapriya and these chords appear. Home is the chord on Sa; the chord on Pa is the dominant that pulls back to it.

• i Gm minorhome
• V D majordominant
• vii° F#dim diminisheddominant
• II· F/A major, first inversionpredominant
• IVsus4 Csus4 suspended fourthpredominant
• III+ Bbaug augmentedcolour
• VI· E#(cluster) clustercolour

Learn the method in how to harmonize a raga.

Music to learn in Varunapriya

Varunapriya 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.

Notated to play along

Each opens in Stage mode on a real staff, with the sung syllables under the notes. Loop it, change Sa, and play or sing along.

• Yo'sau Varunapriya · Melaragamalika · Maha Vaidyanatha Iyer · Adi tala