S-R-G-m-P-d-N-S
Associated with Ravi Shankar’s 20th-century experiments (although not, contrary to common perception, directly invented by him), Nat Bhairav is named for its combination of Nat in poorvang and Bhairav in uttarang. Flavours of Bhairav tend to dominate, including an ati-komal dha and vakra phrases resolving with GmRS (adapting Bhairav’s GmrS). Expounded mainly in madhya saptak, its shape resembles the Carnatic Sarasangi, as well as the Harmonic Major scale of Western music.
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Aroha: SRGmPdNS
Avroh: SNdPmGRS
Chalan: variable – pakad e.g. SRG; mdP; GmRS; RNdS (Parrikar)
—Ravi Shankar (1968)—
[gat, e.g. 13:21] RSNRS, PmGmP, RSNRS; SGmPGm N\d P, mPG (G)mRSN SGmPGm, N\d P, mPG…
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Explore hidden inter-raga connections: swara geometries, melodic features, murchana sets, ragangas, & more (also see the Full Tag List):
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
Double: rR | gG | mM | dD | nN
Thaat: 10 | 32 | Enclosed | Inexact
Chal: All-shuddha | All-komal | Ma-tivra
Gaps: Anh. | Hemi. | 3-row | 4-row | 5-row
Symmetries: Mirror | Rotation | Palindr.
Aroha: Audav | Shadav | Sampurna
Avroh: Audav | Shadav | Sampurna
Jati: Equal | Balanced | Av.+1 | Av.+2
Samay: Morning | Aftern. | Eve. | Night
Murchana: Bhup. | Bihag | Bilaw. | Charu.
Raganga: Bhairav | Malhar | Kan. | Todi
Construction: Jod | Mishra | Oddball
Origin: Ancient | Carnatic | Modern
Dominance: Poorvang | Uttarang
Prevalence: A-list | Prachalit | Aprach.
• Prakriti: Thaat #19
–Swara Geometries–
• Core form: S–R–G–m–P–d–N–S
• Reverse: SrGmPdnS (=Basant Mukhari)
• Negative: 3-2-3-3-1 (e.g. Chandrakauns)
• Imperfect: 3 (Re, dha, Ni)
• Detached: 1 (dha)
• Symmetries: none
• Murchanas: Nat Bhairav set
–Global Translations–
• Carnatic: ~Sarasangi
S-R2-G3-M1-P-D1-N3-S
• Jazz: Harmonic Major
1-2-3-4-5-b6-7-8
• Pitch classes (‘fret-jumps’):
0-2-4-5-7-8-11-0
(2–2–1–2–1–3–1)
o • o • o o • o o • • o o
• Tanpura: Sa–Pa (+Ni)
• Names: Nat Bhairav, Nata Bhairava, Nut Bhairav, Sarasangi (not Natabhairavi)
—Manas Kumar (2020)—
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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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