From theory — Eastern theory · Start here (swara, thaat, tāla). This page is the sit-down alankar pad.

Practice — Alankars

Sit down with the drone and run sargam drills. Prep on Get ready; after patterns, train Ornaments, then Taals.

Reference pitches on this page use just ratios from your Sa (for example Ga = 5/4, Pa = 3/2, Re = 9/8), not equal-temperament semitones. Match the drone and these guide tones by ear; the labelled Western keys on the custom harmonium are still 12-TET for layout only. See Śrutis for the full ratio map.

Start here · first hour

  1. Warm-up — tanpura, hum Sa, vowels, sargam (with low notes).
  2. Alankar 1 — straight scale, slow, sargam then “aa”.
  3. Alankar 2 — doubles (Sa Sa).
  4. Alankar 3 — quads. Stop here for day one; later open paltas and the rest of the pad.

Before alankars — warm-up

Lock pitch on the drone, open the vowels, then run Bilawal on sargam before the pattern drills.

Steps

  1. Tanpura: set Sa in the bottom bar and keep the drone on. New to choosing Sa? Get ready · Choose Sa.
  2. Hum to Sa — lips together, jaw loose. Feel a gentle buzz on the lips and face (“the mask”). Match the tanpura on one steady Sa; quiet and easy, no pushing.
  3. Vowels on the drone — still on one comfortable Sa, sing each shape clearly: अ · आ · ई · ऊ · ए · ओ · अं (A · Aa · E · Ae · Ai · O · Am). Hold each a few seconds; keep the throat open and the tone even. आ (aakar) is the main vowel for classical practice — give it the most time.
  4. Sargam on each vowel — same pitches, now named and moving. First say the swara names; then repeat the line on each vowel shape above. Include mandra (low) notes — don’t skip kharaj.
  5. Then alankars — when Sa feels settled and the scale is in tune, open Alankars below.

1 · Alankars (Sargam Drills / Paltas)

Are alankars “drills”? Yes. An alankar (also called a palta) is the classical equivalent of a drill: a short melodic pattern you repeat, transpose up the scale, and gradually speed up.

How to practice each one:

  1. Tanpura on your Sa.
  2. Sargam — sing the note names (Sa Re Sa, Re Ga Re…), matching each pitch.
  3. Vowels too — same pitches, but keep the first syllable of the cell and sing the rest on that note’s vowel:
    • Sa Re Sa → Sa Aa Aa
    • Re Ga Re → Re Ee Ee
    • Ga Ma Ga → Ga Aa Aa
    • Ma Pa Ma → Ma Aa Aa
    • Pa Dha Pa → Pa Aa Aa
    • Dha Ni Dha → Dha Aa Aa
    • Ni Sȧ Ni → Ni Ee Ee
    Longer cells follow the same rule — e.g. Re Ga Ma Pa → Re Ee Ee Ee. Also run full aakar (all Aa): Aa Aa Aa for the same shape. Sargam trains naming; vowels train pure tone.
  4. Transpose up the scale (start on Sa, then Re, then Ga…) — then come down. On each starting note, still run sargam → first-syllable+vowels → full Aa.
  5. Slow before fast; later set the pattern in a taal.

Patterns are written on seven scale degrees. Pick a thaat below (default Bilawal) and every drill retunes: same shapes, that thaat’s komal / tivra seats. Speed uses BPM and More → Note / Dotted in the bottom bar (whole → sixteenth, optional dotted). ▶ sets Beats to match notes per cell (usually with Quarter); 2 uses Eighth, 3 / 18 use Sixteenth. Click ▶ again to stop.

Set Repeats under each pattern (default 4), then press ▶. The counter shows progress as 1/4, 2/4, …

First play often buffers tabla samples (watch for Tabla ✓ under More → Beats). On iPad/iPhone the mix is also auto-lightened. If it still stutters after Tabla is ready: lower BPM, uncheck Tabla, or ease the drone.

Straights

Scale holds — one pitch, then doubles, then quads.

Straight scale · 1 beat

The foundation of every other pattern. ▶ sets Beats → 1, More → Quarter.

Doubles (Sa Sa) · eighths

Each swara twice: Sa Sa · Re Re · Ga Ga… ▶ sets More → Eighth (two notes fill one beat) and Beats → 2.

Quads (Sa Sa Sa Sa) · sixteenths

Each swara four times: Sa Sa Sa Sa · Re Re Re Re… ▶ sets More → Sixteenth (four pulses per beat) and Beats → 4.

Paltas

Climbing cells of 2–5 notes; each group continues into taar until a cell starts on Sȧ.

Paltas in twos · 2 beats

Each swara paired with the next. The first “moving” alankar most learners meet. ▶ sets Beats → 2.

Paltas in threes · 3 beats

Three-note groups. Builds smoother runs. ▶ sets Beats → 3.

Paltas in fours · 4 beats

Four-note groups. The workhorse agility drill. ▶ sets Beats → 4.

Paltas in fives · 5 beats

Five-note groups. Continues into taar until a cell starts on Sȧ. ▶ sets Beats → 5.

Turns & arches

Neighbour folds and up-and-down arches — phrasing and control.

Neighbour turn (Sa Re Ga Re Sa) · 5 beats

Steps up two and folds back — classic control palta. Avaroha keeps the same shape while the base walks down to Sa. The lighter three-note and sharper four-note forms are on Khatka & murki. ▶ sets Beats → 5.

Arches · 7 beats (Rupak)

Rise three, come back; base climbs the scale, then walks down to Sa (7 notes per cell). ▶ sets Beats → 7 Rupak.

Skips

Larger interval jumps (thirds, fourths, fifths). Each continues until a cell starts on Sȧ.

Thirds (skips) · 2 beats

Skip a swara each step (interval of a third). Continues until a cell starts on Sȧ (Sȧ Gȧ). ▶ sets Beats → 2.

Fourths (skips) · 2 beats

Skip two swaras each step (interval of a fourth). Continues until a cell starts on Sȧ (Sȧ Mȧ). ▶ sets Beats → 2.

Fifths (skips) · 2 beats

Skip three swaras each step (interval of a fifth). Continues until a cell starts on Sȧ (Sȧ Pȧ). ▶ sets Beats → 2.

Five-note zigzags

Five-note cells that weave before resolving. Continues until a cell starts on Sȧ.

Zigzag (Sa Re Sa Re Ga) · 5 beats

Neighbour bounce then step: Sa Re Sa Re Ga · Re Ga Re Ga Ma… Ends on Sȧ Rė Sȧ Rė Gȧ. ▶ sets Beats → 5.

Skip-fill (Sa Ga Sa Re Ga) · 5 beats

Leap to the third, return, then fill: Sa Ga Sa Re Ga · Re Ma Re Ga Ma… Ends on Sȧ Gȧ Sȧ Rė Gȧ. ▶ sets Beats → 5.

Six-note figures

Six-note cells. Continues until a cell starts on Sȧ.

Leap-fill (Sa Ma Sa Re Ga Ma) · 6 beats

Leap a fourth, return, then fill up to it: Sa Ma Sa Re Ga Ma · Re Pa Re Ga Ma Pa… Ends on Sȧ Mȧ Sȧ Rė Gȧ Mȧ. ▶ sets Beats → 6 (or Dadra).

Peak arch (Sa Re Ga Ga Re Sa) · 6 beats

Rise three, hold the peak, fold back: Sa Re Ga Ga Re Sa · Re Ga Ma Ma Ga Re… Ends on Sȧ Rė Gȧ Gȧ Rė Sȧ. ▶ sets Beats → 6 (or Dadra).

Pyramid

Growing arches from Sa up to Sȧ, then from Sȧ down to Sa.

Pyramid (Sa → Sȧ → Sa) · quarters

Grow: Sa · Sa Re Sa · Sa Re Ga Re Sa · … · Sa…Sȧ…Sa, then from taar Sa: Sȧ · Sȧ Ni Sȧ · Sȧ Ni Dha Ni Sȧ · … · Sȧ…Sa…Sȧ. ▶ keeps a regular pulse: Beats → 4, More → Quarter (cells span multiple cycles as they grow).

Sapaat tan

Fast even scale run — the seed of classical taans.

Sapaat tan · sixteenths

Straight scale up then down in one breath — building block of fast passages. ▶ sets More → Sixteenth (continuous run; not a fixed cell size). Start slow; keep it even; then accelerate.

Daily alankar block (≈12 min): 1 (1 beat) → 2 eighths (1) → 3 sixteenths (1) → 4 (2) → 5 (2) → 6/7 (3) → one of 8–18 (2). Transpose each up and down the scale.

Make your own alankar

Invent a pattern, type it (or tap the pad), and play it at the same BPM / Playback note value in the bottom bar. Use a space between notes, | between cells, and a new line (or /) for avaroha. Save keeps it in this browser so you can load or delete it later. For a melody with rests and mixed note lengths, open Make your own tunes.

Pivot palta

Interval drill: every cell is pivot + moving note (e.g. Sa Re) or reverse moving note + pivot (e.g. Re Sa). The moving note walks pivot → high → low → pivot within the range you set. Pick a thaat so Low / Pivot / High and the written palta use that scale’s komal / tivra seats.

Play pivot palta

Tone in the bottom bar sets the sound for all drills (Harmonium = reed samples; Synth = lighter). Defaults: Harmonium on Mac/PC, Synth on iPhone/iPad. This keyboard only lights while custom / pivot playback runs — not during 1–18. Keys are fixed Western (C is always C) with Sa Re Ga… for your Sa. Tap to hear and insert. Use | between cells; new line for avaroha.

Play custom bottom-bar BPM & More → Note · saved in this browser

Want to make your own tunes

After the alankars: a composer with rests, mixed note lengths, repeats, and a Bhatkhande preview.

Open Make your own tunes →

2 · 4-Week Starter Practice Plan

≈20–30 minutes a day. Repeat a week if needed. Tone and pitch before speed and range. Tanpura on the whole time.

Week 1 — Find your Sa, breath & the swaras

  • Daily: diaphragmatic breathing + humming + hum 1·3·5 + vowels
  • Choose your Sa; get comfortable with the tanpura (Get ready)
  • Sing Bilawal slowly on sargam and on “aa”
  • Goal: pass the Basics self-check; scale in tune with the drone

Week 2 — Morning routine + first alankars

  • Daily: morning warm-ups → short glides + Sa swells
  • Add 1–3 — scale (quarters), doubles (eighths), quads (sixteenths); sargam + vowels
  • Light kharaj (low notes), one below Sa at a time
  • Goal: 2/3 steady on Sa…Ni, in tune

Week 3 — More alankars + first taal

  • Full routine, then 4 and 5; transpose each
  • Learn Teentaal: clap it, then one four-note group per beat
  • Smooth glides + volume swells on Sa / Ga / Pa
  • Goal: 6 cleanly in one Teentaal cycle

Week 4 — Consolidate, range, speed

  • Routine + 1–7, then one of 8–18
  • Extend gently into mandra and taar
  • Sing against Keherwa or Dadra too
  • Goal: even sapaat tan; steady alankar while speeding up

Beyond week 4: see the companion page Beyond week 4 — ornaments, thaat, raag & bandish (also beyond.md).

Resources

Curated free and paid sources. For singing you want to hear tone and follow along — with a drone running the whole time.

Practice tools

  • This page — Sa selector, tanpura, swara keys, ▶ alankars, and taal metronome (offline).
  • Riyaz app — tanpura, guided lessons, pitch feedback.
  • App stores: search tanpura, shruti box, iTablaPro, tabla player.

YouTube / follow-along riyaz

Useful searches: Sa ka riyaz, alankar 1 to 10, kharaj ka riyaz, how to find your Sa, eastern classical vocal lesson for beginners, lip trills / straw phonation warm up.

Voice mechanism

Schools & reference

Books

  • V. N. Bhatkhande — Kramik Pustak Malika (notation & method)
  • V. N. Bhatkhande — Sangeet Paddhati (theory of thaats/raags)
Self-study goes far, but a trained ear (guru / teacher) catching pitch and technique habits early saves years.