S-R-G-m-P-D-N-S

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Asa (‘Hope’) is a historically influential raga which still enjoys widespread fame in Sikh musical traditions. Long popular in the Punjab, it is mentioned over a hundred times in the Guru Granth Sahib (1604), connected to the Kafi and Asavari lineages of that era. Most major Gurus have composed shabads in it – as per SikhiWiki, “Asa has strong emotions of inspiration and courage…generating feelings of passion and a zeal to succeed”. See which shades you find in vocal performances by Narinder Singh, Gurmeet Singh Shant, and Munawar Ali Khan, as well as taus takes by Ranbir Singh and Siripal Singh (“this composition would be played in the doors of Amritsar Temple in the early morning”) – plus Kiranpal Singh‘s 2023 santoor release, featuring komal ni as DnDP. An equivalent form also appears in the raga traditions of Afghanistan – as outlined by the Goldsmiths Afghan Music Unit, “Asa is regarded as particularly suitable for singing Sufi poetry, and is often used for the final ghazals” (refer to Daud Khan Sadozai‘s captivating rabab rendition, which summons minor flavours with a strong focus on shuddha Dha). Compare to derivatives such as Asa Kafi, Asa Mand, and Asa Bhairav.

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• Raga Masterlist (1000+) •

राग आसा

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• Hindustani Raga Index •

Aroha: SRm, PDS

Avroh: SNDP, mGRS, RGS

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Chalan: common phrases – e.g. SRm; SmRmP; RmP; DNPD; DS; SNDP; NDPm; mGRS; GSRGS; RGS [~Jawwadi Taksal]

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—Kiranpal Singh (2023)—

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[gat, e.g. 9:53] mmP, PDnPDS, S SRG(R)G S(N) N(D)P, SS, SR R(SN) D(NS) D(P), PSS, S(RG), n nDP, PSS, S(RG), n nDP, P PD P(D)S, D(Pm)m, m(GR)R G(RS)S; mmP, PDnPDS…

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• Classifiers •

Explore hidden inter-raga connections: swara geometries, melodic features, murchana sets, ragangas, & more (also see the Full Tag List):

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Swaras: -4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10+

Sapta: Audav | Shadav | Sampurna

Poorvang: SRGM | SRG | SRM | SGM

Uttarang: PDNS | PDS | PNS | DNS

Varjit: Re | Ga | Ma | Pa | Dha | Ni

Thaat: 10 | 32 | Enclosed | Inexact

Chal: All-shuddha | All-komal | Ma-tivra

Gaps: Anh. | Hemi. | 3-row | 4-row | 5-row

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Aroha: Audav | Shadav | Sampurna

Avroh: Audav | Shadav | Sampurna

Jati: Equal | Balanced | Av.+1 | Av.+2

Samay: Morning | Aftern. | Eve. | Night

Construction: Jod | Mishra | Oddball

Origin: Ancient | Carnatic | Modern

Dominance: Poorvang | Uttarang

Prevalence: A-list | Prachalit | Aprach.

• Prakriti: Bilawal thaat, Bilawal, Tilak Kamod, Nat, Hem Bihag, Bihari, Savani, Swanandi, Gagan Vihang, Maluha, Mand, Chaya Malhar, Hemant, Manjari Bihag

–Swara Geometries–

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• Core form: S–R–G–m–P–D–N–S

• Reverse: SrgmPdnS (=Bhairavi)

• Complement: SrgMdnS (=Mangal Gujari)

• Imperfect: 1 (Ni)

• Detached: none

• Symmetries: mirror (R—d)

• Murchanas: Bilawal set

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• Quirks: ‘maximal‘ (swaras are optimally ‘spread out’) • ‘Pa-repeating‘ (poorvang and uttarang take the same ‘semitone shape’)

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–Global Translations–

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• Carnatic: ~Sankarabharanam (mela #29)

S-R₂-G₃-M₁-P-D₂-N₃-S

• Jazz: Major / Ionian

1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8

• Pitch classes (‘fret-jumps’):

0-2-4-5-7-9-11-0

(2–2–1–2–2–2–1)

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o • o • o o • o • o • o o

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• Tanpura: Sa–Pa (+Ga)

• Names: Asa, Aasa, Asha, Aasaa

• Transliterations: Hindi (आसा); Punjabi (ਆਸਾ)

—Bhai Gurmeet Singh Shant (2021)—