Salagam

Hear it from musicians

Signature phrases for Salagam, 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, Salagam is built from a minor second, a diminished third, a augmented fourth, a perfect fifth, a minor sixth, a diminished seventh. In Carnatic terms that is S R1 G1 M2 P D1 N1; in Hindustani sargam, S r R M' P d D.

How Salagam harmonizes

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

• Isus2 Gsus2 suspended secondhome
• VII· Dbm/Fb minor, first inversiondominant
• Vsus2♭5 Dsus2(b5) suspended second flat fivedominant
• IIsus4 Absus4 suspended fourthpredominant
• IVsus2♭5 C#sus2(b5) suspended second flat fivepredominant
• IIIsus4 Asus4 suspended fourthcolour
• VI♭5 Eb(b5) major flat fivecolour

Learn the method in how to harmonize a raga.

Music to learn in Salagam

Salagam 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.

• Pratibimba Rasalaga · Melaragamalika · Maha Vaidyanatha Iyer · Adi tala