Sarasangi

Hear it from musicians

Signature phrases for Sarasangi, 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, Sarasangi is built from a major second, a major third, a perfect fourth, a perfect fifth, a minor sixth, a major seventh. In Carnatic terms that is S R2 G3 M1 P D1 N3; in Hindustani sargam, S R G m P d N.

How Sarasangi harmonizes

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

• I G majorhome
• V D majordominant
• vii° F#dim diminisheddominant
• iv Cm minorpredominant
• ii° Adim diminishedpredominant
• iii Bm minorcolour
• VI+ Ebaug augmentedcolour

Learn the method in how to harmonize a raga.

Janya ragas of Sarasangi

These child ragas are born from Sarasangi by dropping notes or bending the path: Kamalamanohari, Nalinakanti. Each card shows the three things that make a janya itself: how many notes it keeps, which way its road runs (any vakra turn is ringed in red), and how it glides between swaras. See how janya ragas work.

Music to learn in Sarasangi

• Menu Juchi · Tyagaraja

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.

• Sarasam Gitim · Melaragamalika · Maha Vaidyanatha Iyer · Adi tala

In its janya ragas

• Kanjadalayatakshi · Muthuswami Dikshitar · Adi tala · Kamalamanohari
• Ni Padame Gati Nalinakantimati · G. N. Balasubramaniam · Rupaka tala · Nalinakanti