Exploring some of the inherent dilemmas posed by any attempt to ‘tame’ raga into formalised theoretical frameworks: spanning the practical to the metaphysical, plus plenty inbetween…
Notation Notes:
Definitional Dilemmas:
Metaphysics & More:
• Notation Notes •
Defining a ‘quasi-standardised’ system of raga notation (used throughout the Raga Index): emphasising flexibility, readability, and text-search utility. Criticism encouraged!
Swaras: Higher/lower forms of swara:
- UPPER: shuddha [RGDN], tivra [M], achal [SP]
- lower: komal [rgdn], shuddha [m]
Timings: Phrases & passages:
- Spaces [n SR]: elongations & pauses (e.g. when a swara is sustained, or followed by silence) – also used as a visual separator within long taans
- Commas [mG, Pm]: phrase-end separators within a passage (akin to melodic ‘sentences’)
- Semicolons [DnS; gRS]: passage-end separators (akin to melodic ‘paragraphs’: e.g. to mark the end of a lehra, or to split the sthayi & antara)
- Underlines [SnD]: denotes the location of the ‘culminating sam’ within a passage (excepting grace notes)
Ornaments: Melodic decorations:
- Slashes [P/D]: smoothed transitions (i.e. when both swaras are rendered with roughly equal weightings)
- Brackets [P(D)]: kanswar & subtle motions (i.e. when one swara ‘accents’ another, or when a sustained tone ends with an ornamented flurry)
- Compounds [P(/D)P, (nD)P, G/m(GRG)]: denoted in rough hierarchy of swara prominence – with ‘summarised’ groupings sometimes used for clarity (e.g. a rapid ‘P(DnDPDn)’ may become ‘P(DPn)’, or a sustained ‘G(mGmGm…)G’ andolan may be reduced to ‘G(m)G’, depending on context)
Others: Topic-specific indicators:
- Arrows [SGmPnS<>SnPmGmgS]: reserved for ‘aroha<>avroh’ swara sets (i.e. the raga’s summarised ‘up<>down’ path).
- Short dashes [S-gG-m-P-n-S]: reserved for swara-set notations (i.e. when core form takes primacy over melodic specifics)
- Long dashes [S–G–d]: reserved for geometric features, e.g. polygons, symmetries, mirror lines, etc (i.e. when swara-structure takes primacy over temporal motions)
–Guiding Design Principles–
- Use your ears! As always…
- …
• Definitional Dilemmas •
Discussing some of the inherent issues of raga ‘formalisation’…
• Metaphysics & More •
Defining
T
—Hindustani Raga Index—
An open-ended project seeking to bring North Indian raga closer to all who approach with open ears. Combines direct input from dozens of leading Hindustani artists with in-depth insights from music history, global theory, performance practice, cognitive science, and much more besides!
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George Howlett is a London-based musician, writer, and teacher (guitars, sitar, tabla, & santoor). Above all I seek to enthuse fellow sonic searchers, interconnecting fresh vibrations with the voices, cultures, and passions behind them. See Homepage for more, and hit me up for Lessons!
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