Two Tigers — Bilawal Thaat
A short one-octave melody for learning repeated notes and stepwise movement.
Sa Re Ga Ma | Pa Pa Pa — |
Ma Ga Re Sa | Sa Sa Sa — | Reference Guide
Harmonium Notes — Sargam Guide, Key Map & Scales
Learn the seven Shuddha Swar, the five altered Vikrit Swar, all 10 Hindustani Thaat scales, and the keyboard shortcuts used by Web Harmonium. Keep this guide open beside the free online harmonium while you practice.
Sargam Basics
The Seven Sargam Notes (Shuddha Swar)
Sargam is to Indian music what Solfège (Do Re Mi) is to Western music. The seven pure notes, called Shuddha Swar, form the backbone of Ragas, compositions, and daily harmonium practice.
The Western notes below use Sa = C♯ as an example. Because Sargam is relative, the exact Western pitch changes when you transpose Sa.
| Sargam | Full name | Western note | Meaning & role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sa | Shadja (षड्ज) | C♯ | The tonic and reference pitch for the scale. |
| Re | Rishabha (ऋषभ) | D♯ | The second degree; it may be Shuddha or Komal. |
| Ga | Gandhara (गान्धार) | F | The third degree; Shuddha Ga is bright while Komal Ga sounds more inward. |
| Ma | Madhyama (मध्यम) | F♯ | The fourth degree; it appears as Shuddha Ma or Tivra Ma. |
| Pa | Panchama (पञ्चम) | G♯ | The stable fifth and, with Sa, a common drone anchor. |
| Dha | Dhaivata (धैवत) | A♯ | The sixth degree and an important expressive note in many Ragas. |
| Ni | Nishada (निषाद) | C | The seventh degree, often creating motion toward the upper Sa. |
| Sa′ | Tar Shadja (तार षड्ज) | C♯ | The high Sa, one octave above the tonic. |
Practice tip: Sing each note aloud as you play it. Connecting your voice to the key builds ear training and Sargam fluency more effectively than silent repetition.
Altered Notes
Vikrit Swar — Sharps & Flats
Beyond the seven Shuddha notes, Indian classical music uses five altered notes. Their combinations help create the distinctive melodic color of each Thaat and Raga.
| Vikrit Swar | Type | Western note | Example Ragas |
|---|---|---|---|
| Komal Re | Flat second | D | Bhairavi, Kafi, Asavari, Todi |
| Komal Ga | Flat third | E | Bhairavi, Kafi, Asavari, Todi |
| Tivra Ma | Sharp fourth | G | Yaman, Marwa, Poorvi, Todi |
| Komal Dha | Flat sixth | A | Bhairavi, Kafi, Asavari |
| Komal Ni | Flat seventh | B | Bhairavi, Kafi, Asavari |
Key insight: Yaman uses Tivra Ma while Bhairavi uses four Komal notes, yet the identity of a Raga depends on much more than its note collection. Characteristic phrases, ascent and descent, emphasis, ornamentation, and time of performance all matter.
Scale Families
The 10 Thaat System — Parent Scales of Hindustani Music
Pandit Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande organized Hindustani Ragas into 10 widely taught Thaat families. A Thaat identifies a seven-note pitch collection; a Raga adds characteristic movements, important notes, ornamentation, and musical grammar.
| Thaat | Altered notes | Approx. Western mode | Mood, time & examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bilawal | All Shuddha | Major / Ionian | Morning; bright and open. Ragas include Bilawal and Alhaiya Bilawal. |
| Khamaj | Komal Ni | Mixolydian | Evening; romantic and longing. Ragas include Khamaj, Des, and Tilak Kamod. |
| Kafi | Komal Ga + Komal Ni | Dorian | Late evening; expressive. Ragas include Kafi, Bageshri, and Bhimpalasi. |
| Asavari | Komal Ga + Komal Dha + Komal Ni | Natural minor / Aeolian | Late morning; serious and contemplative. Ragas include Asavari, Jaunpuri, and Darbari. |
| Bhairavi | Komal Re + Ga + Dha + Ni | Phrygian | Early morning; devotional. Ragas include Bhairavi; related Ragas may use fewer notes. |
| Kalyan | Tivra Ma | Lydian | Evening; expansive and majestic. Ragas include Yaman and Shuddha Kalyan. |
| Marwa | Komal Re + Tivra Ma | Lydian ♭2 | Late afternoon; restless and searching. Ragas include Marwa, Puriya, and Sohini. |
| Poorvi | Komal Re + Tivra Ma + Komal Dha | — | Late afternoon; mysterious and intense. Ragas include Poorvi, Puriya Dhanashree, and Shree. |
| Todi | Komal Re + Komal Ga + Tivra Ma + Komal Dha | — | Late morning; poignant and complex. Ragas include Todi, Gurjari Todi, and Multani. |
| Bhairav | Komal Re + Komal Dha | Double harmonic | Early morning; solemn and powerful. Ragas include Bhairav, Ahir Bhairav, and Nat Bhairav. |
How to use the table: Choose one Thaat, play its ascending and descending scale slowly, and listen for the changed notes. Then compare two Ragas in that family to hear how melodic rules transform the same pitch collection.
Live Key Reference
Keyboard Mapping on Web Harmonium
This reference is generated from the same key data as the live instrument. The large letter or symbol is the computer key to press; the Sargam label is shown beside it. White keys also display their Western key labels.
White Keys
aĠ
Western label: B
`Ṁ
Western label: C
qḌ
Western label: D
wṆ
Western label: E
eṆ
Western label: F
rR
Western label: G
tG
Western label: A
yG
Western label: B
uM
Western label: C
iD
Western label: D
oN
Western label: E
pN
Western label: F
[Ṙ
Western label: G
]Ġ
Western label: A
\Ġ
Western label: B
'Ṁ
Western label: C
Black Keys
sĠ
Altered / chromatic key
1Ṗ
Altered / chromatic key
2Ḍ
Altered / chromatic key
4S
Altered / chromatic key
5R
Altered / chromatic key
7M
Altered / chromatic key
8P
Altered / chromatic key
9D
Altered / chromatic key
-Ṡ
Altered / chromatic key
=Ṙ
Altered / chromatic key
;Ṁ
Altered / chromatic key
Pro tip: Keep this page in a second tab while you practice on the main Web Harmonium keyboard. The live key labels remain the authoritative shortcut reference.
Daily Routine
How to Practice Harmonium Notes — Five Steps
- 1
Start with Sa and Pa
Play the tonic and fifth back and forth, then hum each pitch. These stable notes give your ear two reliable anchors.
- 2
Learn the Bilawal scale
Ascend through Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni Sa′, then descend slowly. Repeat until the order and spacing feel familiar.
- 3
Add Komal notes with Kafi
Lower Ga and Ni. Listen to how two altered notes change the color while Sa, Re, Ma, Pa, and Dha stay in place.
- 4
Explore Tivra Ma with Kalyan
Raise Ma by one semitone and compare the result with Bilawal. That single change creates a noticeably more open sound.
- 5
Practice a simple composition
Move from scales into a melody you already know. Familiar phrasing lets you focus on finding notes and keeping steady time.
Beginner Melodies
Practice Songs — Play Along
Open tutorial
Mo Li Hua — Bilawal Thaat
A familiar traditional melody with compact phrases and gentle changes of direction.
Sa Sa Sa Re | Ma Ma Re — |
Ma Ma Re Sa | Sa Sa — — |Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star — Bilawal Thaat
A recognizable melody for connecting notes on the page with pitches you already hear internally.
Sa Sa Pa Pa | Dha Dha Pa — |
Ma Ma Ga Ga | Re Re Sa — |Questions
FAQ — Harmonium Notes
How many notes does a harmonium have?
A standard harmonium commonly has 39 to 42 keys, covering about three octaves. Web Harmonium presents a browser-friendly playing range and provides octave controls for moving beyond the keys currently visible.
What is the difference between Sargam and Western notation?
Sargam names relative scale degrees as Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni, so the sounding pitches move when you choose a new tonic. Western notation uses fixed pitch names such as C, D, and E. Web Harmonium shows both systems to help players connect them.
What are Komal and Tivra notes?
Komal means a note is lowered by one semitone, while Tivra means it is raised. Re, Ga, Dha, and Ni can be Komal; Ma can be Tivra. Sa and Pa remain fixed relative to the chosen tonic.
Which Thaat should I practice first?
Start with Bilawal because it uses all Shuddha notes. After the scale feels comfortable, try Kafi for Komal Ga and Ni, then Kalyan for Tivra Ma.
Where can I find more harmonium songs to practice?
Open the Web Harmonium tutorial for guided practice with listening, moving score lanes, and note-by-note feedback. The practice songs on this page also link directly to their tutorial sessions.
Ready to Practice?
Put These Harmonium Notes to Work
You have the note names, live keyboard map, scales, and Thaat system. Now use them in a real practice session.
Bookmark this page with Ctrl+D on Windows or Cmd+D on Mac.
· Web Harmonium Notes Reference