> **From theory:** [/theory/eastern/#swara](/theory/eastern/#swara).

# Learn Basuri — Fingering charts

## Fingering charts

Reference map for the seven swaras after you have started [One hole at a time](ladder.md).
On the Eastern bansuri, **Sa is the top three finger holes covered** (nearest the blowing hole),
with the lower three open — not “all holes closed.”

## Fingering chart (6-hole · Sa = three covered)

Holes left→right = upper (near embouchure) → lower. ● = closed · ○ = open.

| Swar | Holes (top → bottom) | Action |
|------|----------------------|--------|
| Sa | ●●● ○○○ | Top three closed |
| Re | ●●○ ○○○ | Top two closed |
| Ga | ●○○ ○○○ | Top hole only |
| Ma♯ (tivra) | ○○○ ○○○ | All open — or alt. `000XXX` |
| Ma (shuddha) | half-cover top hole | Between Ga and Ma♯ |
| Pa (above Sa) | ○●● ●●● | Alt. `0XXXXX` — teacher favourite |
| Pa (above Sa · overblow) | ●●● ●●● | All closed, faster air |
| Pa (below Sa) | ●●● ●●● | All closed, gentle — *mandra* Pa |
| Dha (below / above Pa*) | ●●● ●●○ | Five closed |
| Ni (below / above Pa*) | ●●● ●○○ | Four closed |
| Sa↑ | same as Sa | Tighter embouchure / faster air |

First week: practice **Sa–Re–Ga–Ma♯** (three closed → two → one → all open). Add shuddha Ma, middle Pa, komal notes, and notes below Sa when the embouchure is steady.

**Two ways to play Pa above Sa** (both on the [bansuriflute.co.uk](https://www.bansuriflute.co.uk/p/beginners-how-to-play-bansuri.html) chart): (1) all six closed with faster air; (2) `0XXXXX` — vent the top hole. Beginners there often half-open the top hole first. Check a clean fifth against the Sa drone.

## Komal & tivra (altered swaras)

**Shuddha** = natural pitch. Two kinds of alteration:

- **Komal** (“soft”) — flattened. Used on **Re, Ga, Dha, Ni**.
- **Tivra** (“sharp / intense”) — raised. Used only on **Ma**.

**Sa** and **Pa** never move. Match every altered note to the Sa drone — the ear is the final judge.

### Basuri — how to get the sound

Main tool: **half-holing**. Leave a slit of the hole open (often the lower half of the pad)
so the pitch sits between two full fingerings. Roll the finger slowly; tiny changes move pitch a lot.

Also useful on side-blown basuri:

- **Meend** — slide from one fingering to the next by gradually uncovering; pass through the komal along the way.
- **Embouchure** — roll the flute slightly in/out or soften the air to fine-tune after the finger is close.

| Altered swar | Between | Typical half-hole (6-hole · this map) |
|--------------|---------|----------------------------------------|
| komal Re | Sa → Re | Top three mostly closed; crack open the *3rd* hole |
| komal Ga | Re → Ga | Top two mostly closed; crack open the *2nd* hole |
| shuddha Ma | Ga → Ma♯ | Crack open / half-cover the *top* hole (see Ma section) |
| tivra Ma | — | **All open** (full fingering, not a half-hole) |
| komal Dha (below) | Pa → Dha | Five mostly closed; crack open the *bottom* hole |
| komal Ni (below) | Dha → Ni | Four mostly closed; crack open the *5th* hole |

Same idea in the upper octave: keep the half-hole, use a bit more focused air for Sa↑ and friends.

Start with **komal Re** only: drone Sa, play Sa → half-open 3rd hole → full Re → back.
When that slot is stable, add komal Ga the same way.

### Murali (end-blown) — same idea, less bend

On a recorder-like murali you still half-hole for komal notes and for shuddha Ma.
Tivra Ma is still the fully open (or next full) fingering on that tube’s map.

- The fipple aims the air for you, so **embouchure bends are weaker** than on basuri — rely more on careful half-cover %.
- Soft, steady breath; blasting sharpens and can jump octave instead of giving a clean komal.
- Hole spacing on folk/toy muralis is uneven. Use the [murali page](murali.html#vikrit) notes and tune to the drone, not only to a printed chart.

## Ma vs Ma♯ (tivra Ma)

In Indian music, **Ma** (madhyam) is the only swara that can be raised (sharpened). The others that change are flattened (*komal* Re, Ga, Dha, Ni). Sa and Pa never move.

- **Shuddha Ma** (“plain Ma”) — the natural fourth above Sa (like F if Sa were C).
- **Tivra Ma / Ma♯** — the raised fourth (like F♯ if Sa were C). Usual fingering: **all holes open**. Alternate: **top three open, bottom three closed** (`000XXX`).

Shop charts that write **Ma#** mean tivra Ma, not “play a Western sharp key.” If a lesson just says “Ma” without *tivra* / *shuddha*, ask which one — or match the raga.

### How to play shuddha Ma

| | Holes (top → bottom) | Action |
|---|----------------------|--------|
| **Ga** | ● ○○○○○ | Left index pad seals hole 1 fully |
| **Shuddha Ma** | ◐ ○○○○○ | Same finger — uncover about half of hole 1 |
| **Ma♯ (tivra)** | ○○○○○○ | Lift the finger — all open |

1. Start from **Ga**: left index pad fully seals hole 1. Holes 2–6 open.
2. Keep the same soft air. Slowly **roll or slide** the left index pad so roughly half the hole stays covered and half vents. Do not lift the finger straight off.
3. Listen against the Sa drone: shuddha Ma is a *perfect fourth* above Sa — lower than all-open Ma♯. Too high → cover more; too low → uncover more.
4. Lift clear of the hole for **tivra Ma (Ma♯)**. Practice Ga → shuddha Ma → Ma♯ → back slowly.

Right-hand fingers stay off the lower holes for this note. Only the left index is moving. Pad contact is the same skill as on [Hold · Hands](hold.html#hands).

Beginners often learn all-open as the first “Ma” because half-holing is harder. That note is tivra Ma (Ma♯).

## High register & alternate fingerings

Primary map follows the 6-hole chart on [bansuriflute.co.uk — beginners](https://www.bansuriflute.co.uk/p/beginners-how-to-play-bansuri.html) (Sa = top three closed). Faster, narrower air for higher octaves.

### Notation

- `,P ,D ,N` — mandra (lower)
- `S R G M P D N` — madhya (middle)
- `S' …` — taar (upper); `S''` — ati-taar
- **0** = open · **X** = closed · left→right = top→bottom

### Full chart (bansuriflute.co.uk style)

| Swar | Code | Notes |
|------|------|--------|
| ,P | `XXXXXX` | mandra Pa |
| ,D | `XXXXXO` | mandra Dha |
| ,N | `XXXXOO` | mandra Ni |
| S | `XXXOOO` | Sa |
| R | `XXOOOO` | Re |
| G | `XOOOOO` | Ga |
| M♯ | `000000` | tivra Ma |
| M♯ (alt.) | `000XXX` | top three open |
| P | `XXXXXX` | madhya Pa (overblow) |
| P (alt.) | `0XXXXX` | first open / five closed |
| D | `XXXXXO` | madhya Dha |
| N | `XXXXOO` | madhya Ni |
| S' | `XXXOOO` | taar Sa (overblow) |
| R' | `XXOOOO` | taar Re |
| G' | `XOOOOO` | taar Ga |
| M♯' | `000000` | taar tivra Ma |
| P' | `0XXXXX` | taar Pa |
| D' | `XXOOOX` | taar Dha (1, 2, 6 closed) |
| N' | `XXOXOO` | taar Ni (1, 2, 4 closed) |
| S'' | `XOXOOO` | ati-taar Sa (1 and 3 closed) |

Shuddha Ma = half-cover top hole between Ga and tivra Ma.

### Other teachers’ forks (optional)

- Dha'' · `XX000X` · Ni'' · `X0XXXX` or `XXXX0X` · Re' alt. `XX0XXX` · Ga' alt. `X00XXX`

### How to practise

1. Climb ,P ,D ,N S R G M♯ with long tones.
2. Lock madhya Pa both ways: overblown `XXXXXX` and `0XXXXX`.
3. Continue D N S' with smaller embouchure.
4. Add P' · D' (`XXOOOX`) · N' (`XXOXOO`) · S'' (`XOXOOO`).
5. One new high note per week.

## Practice

1. Drone Sa on the practice bar; finger Sa (top three closed) until it matches.
2. Sa → Re → Sa, then add Ga.
3. All open = Ma♯; return to Sa to check pitch.
4. Optional: all closed = Pa below Sa — useful, but not your tonic.
5. When ready: Sa → komal Re (half-open 3rd) → Re; then try komal Ga and shuddha Ma the same slow way.
6. Later: middle Pa (overblow all-closed or `0XXXXX`), then the high-register chart above.

## Footnote: Western flute / “C flute” charts

Many beginner web tutorials (especially “C natural middle” shop guides) treat
**all six holes closed as Sa** and open holes upward from the bottom.
That matches a **Western** habit: the lowest tube note is “do” / the named key of the flute.

Eastern classical bansuri teaching usually sets **Sa at three holes covered**
so you also have Pa–Dha–Ni *below* Sa without changing octave. Same bamboo — different tonic choice.

If your maker labels the flute “C,” that letter often names a Western pitch (sometimes the all-closed note).
Still put the practice-bar drone on *your* three-hole Sa and train the ear to that.

## Next

[Listen](listen.html)