Nathaniel School of MusicThe Melakarta Sphere

Melakarta 62 · Rudra chakra · M2

Rishabhapriya

ऋषभप्रिया

Rishabhapriya is the 62nd melakarta raga. Its scale is S R2 G3 M2 P D1 N2.

SRGM'Pdn
Hear Rishabhapriyachoose your Sa, then play
S1
R2M2
G3M3
M2A4
PP5
D1m6
N2m7
S'8
Open in the 3D sphere →

Hear it from musicians

Signature phrases for Rishabhapriya, 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, Rishabhapriya is built from a major second, a major third, a augmented fourth, a perfect fifth, a minor sixth, a minor seventh. In Carnatic terms that is S R2 G3 M2 P D1 N2; in Hindustani sargam, S R G M' P d n.

DegreeSwaraInterval
1Sunison (1)
2R2major second (M2)
3G3major third (M3)
4M2augmented fourth (A4)
5Pperfect fifth (P5)
6D1minor sixth (m6)
7N2minor seventh (m7)

How Rishabhapriya harmonizes

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

  • I C majorhome
  • v Gm minordominant
  • VII+ Bbaug augmenteddominant
  • II♭5 D(b5) major flat fivepredominant
  • IV· F#(cluster) clusterpredominant
  • iii° Edim diminishedcolour
  • VI+ Abaug augmentedcolour

Learn the method in how to harmonize a raga.

Music to learn in Rishabhapriya

Rishabhapriya 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.

Open Rishabhapriya in the 3D sphere →

Questions about Rishabhapriya

What is the Rishabhapriya raga?

Rishabhapriya is melakarta number 62 in the 72-raga system of Carnatic music. Its scale is S R2 G3 M2 P D1 N2.

What are the janya ragas of Rishabhapriya?

Rishabhapriya is heard mainly as a parent scale; much Carnatic repertoire lives in the janya ragas of other melakartas.