One hole at a time

Do not learn all seven notes at once. Change one finger (one hole) per day or per session. After Ma the pattern changes shape — that bridge is the whole point of this page.

Eastern map: Sa = top three holes covered. Early M = tivra Ma (all open). Check with the Sa drone and Listen. Full forks and half-holes live on fingering charts when you need them.

The path at a glance

  1. Sa — three closed · lift nothing
  2. Re — lift one finger (hole 3, farthest of the top three)
  3. Ga — lift one more (hole 2)
  4. Ma♯ — lift the last top finger (hole 1) · all open
  5. Pa — stop lifting · new fingering (see bridge)
  6. Dha → Ni → Sa' — open from the bottom or overblow Sa

Rule: Sa→Re→Ga→Ma is “open one more hole from the top.” Pa is not “open one more” — there is no hole left. You reset.

Step 1 · Sa only (lock the home)

Fingers: top three closed · bottom three open · XXXOOO

One job: match the practice-bar drone. No other notes yet.

  • Hold 4–5 seconds · rest · repeat ×10
  • If the tone dies when you cover holes, seal pads fully (mirror helps)

S · S · S · S · S

Pass this step when Sa is clear and in tune most tries — then add Re.

Step 2 · Add Re (lift one finger)

Change: from Sa, lift only the 3rd hole finger (lowest of the three covered — usually left ring on a right-handed hold). Keep holes 1 and 2 closed.

Re · XXOOOO

Drill idea: move only that one finger. Everything else frozen.

Sa ↔ Re

S R S R S

Longer on each

S S R R S

Step 3 · Add Ga (lift one more)

Change: from Re, lift the 2nd hole finger. Only hole 1 stays closed.

Ga · XOOOOO

Three-note neighbour

S R G R S

Re ↔ Ga only

R G R G R

Step 4 · Add Ma♯ (lift the last top finger)

Change: from Ga, lift hole 1 — all six open.

Tivra Ma (M) · 000000

This is the easy “Ma” for beginners. Shuddha Ma (half-hole) comes later — see Ma vs Ma♯.

Full first climb

S R G M G R S

Ga ↔ Ma only

G M G M G

Step 5 · After Ma — the Pa bridge

Stop “opening one more hole.” After all-open Ma there is nothing left to lift. Pa is a new shape, not the next open hole.

Pick one Pa method (stay with it for a week)

MethodCodeWhat you do
A · Teacher fork (recommended if your guru uses it) 0XXXXX From Ma (all open): close holes 2–6, leave hole 1 open. Or from Sa: close bottom three, then open only the top hole.
B · Overblow XXXXXX Cover all six (same as mandra Pa), but use faster / smaller air so the higher Pa speaks. Check a clean fifth vs Sa drone.
Beginner soften half-open top Same as A but crack the top hole — often easier than fully open.

Detail: why these are Pa.

Transition drill (Ma → Pa → Ma)

Do this slowly with eyes on the fingers — it is a reset, not a slide of one finger.

  1. Play Ma (all open).
  2. Freeze air for a split second · plant the Pa fingering (A or B).
  3. Blow Pa · match drone (fifth above Sa).
  4. Return to all-open Ma · then home to Sa.
Climb through the bridge

S R G M P M G R S

When you hear P, use your chosen Pa fingering on the flute.

Ma ↔ Pa only

M P M P M

Step 6 · After Pa → Dha, Ni, Sa'

If you use Pa method B (all closed overblown)

Now open from the bottom, one hole at a time — same “one finger” idea, other end of the flute:

SwarCodeOne-finger change
PaXXXXXXAll closed (strong air)
DhaXXXXXOOpen bottom hole only
NiXXXXOOOpen next hole up
Sa'XXXOOOSame as Sa fingering, keep the high air — octave up

If you use Pa method A (0XXXXX)

Stay on that Pa until it is solid. Then either:

  • Switch to method B for Dha–Ni–Sa' (many beginners do), or
  • Learn the high forks later: D' XXOOOX, N' XXOXOO, S'' XOXOOO — high register chart.
Upper steps

P D N S'

Full aroha (steps complete)

S R G M P D N S'

Bonus · Notes below Sa (optional)

From Sa, cover more holes downward (one at a time) — descending under the tonic:

SwarCodeChange from Sa
SaXXXOOOHome
,NXXXXOOClose hole 4
,DXXXXXOClose hole 5
,PXXXXXXClose hole 6 · gentle air (low Pa)

S ,N ,D ,P ,D ,N S

Next

Fingering charts