Ragavardhini

Hear it from musicians

Signature phrases for Ragavardhini, 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, Ragavardhini is built from a augmented second, a major third, a perfect fourth, a perfect fifth, a minor sixth, a minor seventh. In Carnatic terms that is S R3 G3 M1 P D1 N2; in Hindustani sargam, S g G m P d n.

How Ragavardhini harmonizes

Stack thirds on each note of Ragavardhini 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· Bb/D major, first inversiondominant
• VIIsus4 Fsus4 suspended fourthdominant
• iv Cm minorpredominant
• II· A#(cluster) clusterpredominant
• iii° Bdim diminishedcolour
• VI+ Ebaug augmentedcolour

Learn the method in how to harmonize a raga.

Music to learn in Ragavardhini

Ragavardhini 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.

• Sadanande Tvayi · Melaragamalika · Maha Vaidyanatha Iyer · Adi tala