Neetimati

Hear it from musicians

Signature phrases for Neetimati, 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, Neetimati is built from a major second, a minor third, a augmented fourth, a perfect fifth, a augmented sixth, a major seventh. In Carnatic terms that is S R2 G2 M2 P D3 N3; in Hindustani sargam, S R g M' P n N.

How Neetimati harmonizes

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

• i Cm minorhome
• V G majordominant
• vii Bm minordominant
• IV♭5 F#(b5) major flat fivepredominant
• II+ Daug augmentedpredominant
• III+ Ebaug augmentedcolour
• VI· A#(cluster) clustercolour

Learn the method in how to harmonize a raga.

Janya ragas of Neetimati

These child ragas are born from Neetimati by dropping notes or bending the path: Hamsanadam. 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 Neetimati

Neetimati 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.