CARNATIC RAGAS AND WESTERN SCALE
Music is like a milky way. There cannot be real comparison between
Classical including Hindustani, Western and light at all. It’s like
PARKINSON’S LAW viz every one according to its level. At the same time it’s
not too difficult to understand and appreciate it too. When there is no
mind to grasp and relishes plain patterns, with the self-proclaimed, music
errors, well, light is in lighter vein. When mainly vocal chords or chords
alone is criteria, and can go from particle to particle, ignoring in
between, yet in harmonic, well western wealds the veneration and
formulations of rules in harmonic is Jazz. However, governed by strict
principles laid down and performing within the bounded-concepts, melodic
is, well its Classical.
It’s misnomer to use the word “scale” here. Scale is for western
whereas the similar for classical is “Ragam.” “Chords” for western is
“sruthi” in classical or carnatic or Hindustani. Of course, “Taal” and
“Beats” sound synonym, yet has a difference between classical and Western,
since Harmonic is based in western only on the built up of chords and the
beats.
In carnatic as well as others, there are 7 basic “swaras” or “notes”,
however D major scale in western, and Sankarabaranam Ragam under
aurohanam, have similar notes or swarams, when played ,never appear to be
similar; it is the same case with the watered down light or cine music,
where there is a near appearance but not the true version at all.
In Carnatic swaras “Ri, Ga, Da, Ni” will invariably shall sink with the
preceding swaras, as continuous by a concept called “Ghamakas”. All swaras
are linked by Ghamakas. In other words, there cannot be a jump, between 2
swaras. Where there are Jumps, permissible, in between 2 swaras, in the
same octave, there can be succinct expanded swaras ,in between notes like
Ri, Ri 1, Ri 2 ,Ri 3 etc to ga, which is extinct in western. So carnatic is
knitted with the 72 Ragas MELAKARTHA grouped as 6*6*2.
A raga group in melakartha, is formed ,by extending ,in between
two swaras, half or quarter or less than, MATRAS (not scale to be
precise).Ghamakas are these matras played syncing one to another More than
the vocal chords, one can hear clearly in Veena, violin ,mandolin etc. Any
swaraprastharams rendered as per the wishes of the singer cannot cross the
limitations prescribed. In western there can be jumps in notes, even two or
three scales, without losing the beats and the chords. Hence western are’
cut” notes while the classic is linked swaras.
Carnatic or classical has more “sangathis”, than the western
“sharp and flat notes. Ventures and Shadows made a dent with electric
Guitars in the delivery modes in western and became popular. However, these
variations cannot have one to think that the singing of the western or
light music is easier than the carnatic or classical. GOOD MUSIC IS A
SKILFUL COMPOSITION OUT OF THE HEART AND BRAIN AND THAT WHICH WOULD MELLOW
THE HEART, STAY FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
You may go thro a demo of a DVD by Guitar Prasanna called Raga
morphism,
https://youtu.be/EFMBQj0lwZ4
https://youtu.be/anPNIu35lMU
https://youtu.be/j5YvdRQ7H5w
https://youtu.be/L8vWup6iDGQ
K Rajaram IRS 3425
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