Pavani

Hear it from musicians

Signature phrases for Pavani, 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, Pavani is built from a minor second, a diminished third, a augmented fourth, a perfect fifth, a major sixth, a major seventh. In Carnatic terms that is S R1 G1 M2 P D2 N3; in Hindustani sargam, S r R M' P D N.

How Pavani harmonizes

Stack thirds on each note of Pavani 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
• VIIsus2 F#sus2 suspended seconddominant
• V♭5 D(b5) major flat fivedominant
• II· C#m/Ab minor, second inversionpredominant
• iv° C#dim diminishedpredominant
• III· D/A major, second inversioncolour
• VI· E(cluster) clustercolour

Learn the method in how to harmonize a raga.

Janya ragas of Pavani

These child ragas are born from Pavani by dropping notes or bending the path: Chandrajyoti. 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 Pavani

Pavani 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.

• Bhoh Pavani · Melaragamalika · Maha Vaidyanatha Iyer · Adi tala