Shuddha, Komal & Tivra

Alright. You know the 7 Shuddha Swars. You know they live in three Saptaks. Now we need to talk about what happens when notes shift from their standard positions, because that is where Hindustani classical music really starts to get interesting.

Remember from the Swar lesson: Re, Ga, Dha, Ni and Ma are Chal Swars. They can move. And when they move, they get new names.

Shuddha Swars

Shuddha means pure. These are the 7 notes in their natural, default positions. Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni. No alteration, no modification. Pure and straight.

Sa and Pa are always Shuddha. They never move. They are the anchors of the system.

Komal Swars

Komal means soft or flat. When Re, Ga, Dha or Ni move half a step lower from their Shuddha position, they become Komal.

So we have:

• Komal Re (Re going slightly lower)

• Komal Ga (Ga going slightly lower)

• Komal Dha (Dha going slightly lower)

• Komal Ni (Ni going slightly lower)

That's 4 Komal Swars. Ma cannot go Komal. Remember that.

In notation, Komal Swars are written with a line below the note in Bhatkhande notation, and a small curve symbol in Paluskar notation.

Tivra Swar

Tivra means sharp. When Ma moves half a step higher from its Shuddha position, it becomes Tivra Ma.

There is only one Tivra Swar: Tivra Ma. No other note goes Tivra. Just Ma. In notation, Tivra Ma is written with a vertical line above the Ma in Bhatkhande, and a special symbol in Paluskar.

The Complete Picture

• 7 Shuddha Swars: Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni

• 4 Komal Swars: Komal Re, Komal Ga, Komal Dha, Komal Ni

• 1 Tivra Swar: Tivra Ma

Total: 12 notes. This is the complete note set of Hindustani classical music.

If you know Western music, these 12 notes map directly to the 12 semitones of the chromatic scale. The concepts are the same, the language is different.

Why Does This Matter?

Every raag you will ever learn is built from some combination of these 12 notes. A raag's personality, its mood, its character, is largely defined by which of these 12 notes it uses and how. Komal Ga gives a raag a softer, more melancholic quality. Tivra Ma gives a raag a bright, elevated, almost magical quality. The notes are the palette. The raag is the painting.

The Exam-Ready Definitions

Shuddha Swar: A note in its pure, natural position. There are 7 Shuddha Swars: Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni.

Komal Swar: A note that has moved half a step lower than its Shuddha position. Re, Ga, Dha and Ni can be Komal. Total of 4 Komal Swars.

Tivra Swar: A note that has moved half a step higher than its Shuddha position. Only Ma can be Tivra. Total of 1 Tivra Swar.

Vikrit Swar: The collective term for all altered notes, meaning both Komal and Tivra Swars together.

Common Misconceptions

Students sometimes think Sa and Pa can go Komal. They cannot. Sa and Pa are fixed forever. This is one of the most commonly lost exam marks at beginner level.

Also, "Komal" does not mean quiet and "Tivra" does not mean loud. These are pitch positions, not volume instructions.

Quick Quiz

1. What does Komal mean and which notes can be Komal?

2. What does Tivra mean and which note can be Tivra?

3. Why can Sa and Pa never be Komal or Tivra?

4. What is the total number of notes in Hindustani classical music and how are they counted?

5. What is the collective term for Komal and Tivra Swars together?

Practice Exercise

Head over to NoteSwar. Play Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni Sa first, all Shuddha. Then try replacing each Chal Swar one by one with its Komal version and hear the difference. Then try Tivra Ma. Notice how the whole feeling of the sequence changes with just one altered note. That shift in feeling? That is exactly how raags are built. 🎵

PEACE ! 🎻