# Alankars (Sargam Drills / Paltas) ## Are alankars "drills"? — yes, they are **An alankar (also called a *palta* or *sargam*) is exactly the classical equivalent of a drill.** It's a short melodic pattern of swaras that you repeat, transpose up the scale, and gradually speed up — precisely to build accuracy, agility, and muscle memory. So we keep them in their own file, but they *are* the "drills" of vocal riyaz. To be precise, this guide splits practice into **two kinds** of exercise, because they train different things: 1. **SOVT ([`sovt.html`](sovt.html) / [`sovt.md`](sovt.md))** — straw, lip trills, “zzz”, “ng”, and more. These train the *instrument* (breath, cords, resonance) and don't require hitting exact named notes. 2. **Alankars (this file)** — these train *musical accuracy*: singing the right swaras, in tune, in patterns, in time. This is the "hitting the right notes" drilling. Do a few minutes of SOVT to warm up, **then** spend the bulk of your session on alankars. ## Repeats & count (interactive page) On [`practice.html`](practice.html#alankars), each alankar shows its **description**, then the notation, then ▶ underneath with a **Repeats** box (default **4**). ▶ uses that number; the counter shows **1/4**, **2/4**, and so on. ## How to practice every alankar For each pattern below: 1. **Tanpura on, on your Sa.** Never drill without the drone (see [`01-basics.md`](01-basics.md)). 2. **Sing it on sargam first** (say the note names: *Sa Re Ga…*), matching each pitch. 3. **Also practice on vowels** — same pitches; keep the *first* syllable of the cell and sing the rest on that note’s vowel: | Cell (sargam) | With vowels | |---------------|-------------| | *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. Do both. Sargam trains naming and mapping; vowels train pure tone without hiding behind syllables. 4. **Transpose it up the scale:** start on Sa, then start the same shape on Re, then Ga… climbing note by note, then come back down. (This is what "palta" — *turning over* — means.) On each starting note, still run sargam → first-syllable+vowels (Sa Aa… / Re Ee… / …) → full Aa. 5. **Slow → fast:** lock it in slowly and in tune, *then* build speed. Accuracy first. 6. **Later, sing it in a taal** ([`beats.md`](beats.md)) so it's rhythmic, not just notes. Patterns are seven scale-degree shapes. On [`practice.html#alankars`](practice.html#alankars) pick a **thaat** (default Bilawal) before the first drill; notation and ▶ follow that thaat’s komal / tivra seats. Notation (full names; lowercase+underline = komal; vertical stroke above = tivra Ma; dots = octave) is in [`01-basics.md`](01-basics.md). On the interactive page, **avaroha is on a new line**, and cells are **spaced** (pairs, threes, fours, …) so the pattern is easier to read while you play. **Beats = notes in the cell** (for most alankars): ▶ sets **Beats** to the cell size and **More → Quarter** (one swara per beat, one cell per cycle). Exceptions: **2** uses **Eighth**, **3** and **18** use **Sixteenth**. | Alankar | Notes / cell | Beats / note | |---------|-------------|--------| | 1 | 1 | 1 beat, Quarter | | 2 | 2 | 2 beats, **Eighth** | | 4, 10–12 | 2 | 2 beats, Quarter | | 5 | 3 | 3 | | 3 | 4 | 4 beats, **Sixteenth** | | 6 | 4 | 4 beats, Quarter | | 7, 8, 13, 14 | 5 | 5 | | 15, 16 | 6 | 6 (or Dadra) | | 9 | 7 | 7 Rupak | | 17 Pyramid | grows 1…15 | 4 beats, Quarter | | 18 Sapaat | continuous run | Sixteenth | --- ## Straights Scale holds — one pitch, then doubles, then quads. ### Straight scale (Aroha / Avaroha) · 1 beat The scale itself. The foundation of every other pattern. ``` Aroha: Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni Sȧ Avaroha: Sȧ Ni Dha Pa Ma Ga Re Sa ``` ▶ sets **Beats → 1**, **More → Quarter**. ### Doubles (Sa Sa) · eighths Each swara twice — locks pitch before you move: ``` Aroha: Sa Sa · Re Re · Ga Ga · Ma Ma · Pa Pa · Dha Dha · Ni Ni · Sȧ Sȧ Avaroha: Sȧ Sȧ · Ni Ni · Dha Dha · Pa Pa · Ma Ma · Ga Ga · Re Re · Sa Sa ``` ▶ sets **More → Eighth** (two notes fill one beat) and **Beats → 2**. Vowels: *Sa Sa* → **Sa Aa**; *Re Re* → **Re Ee**; etc. ### Quads (Sa Sa Sa Sa) · sixteenths Each swara four times — longer hold / more pulses on one pitch: ``` Aroha: Sa Sa Sa Sa · Re Re Re Re · Ga Ga Ga Ga · Ma Ma Ma Ma · Pa Pa Pa Pa · Dha Dha Dha Dha · Ni Ni Ni Ni · Sȧ Sȧ Sȧ Sȧ Avaroha: Sȧ Sȧ Sȧ Sȧ · Ni Ni Ni Ni · Dha Dha Dha Dha · Pa Pa Pa Pa · Ma Ma Ma Ma · Ga Ga Ga Ga · Re Re Re Re · Sa Sa Sa Sa ``` ▶ sets **More → Sixteenth** (four pulses per beat) and **Beats → 4**. Vowels: *Sa Sa Sa Sa* → **Sa Aa Aa Aa**. --- ## 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. Continues into taar until a cell **starts on Sȧ** (Sȧ Rė). ``` Aroha: Sa Re · Re Ga · Ga Ma · Ma Pa · Pa Dha · Dha Ni · Ni Sȧ · Sȧ Rė Avaroha: Rė Sȧ · Sȧ Ni · Ni Dha · Dha Pa · Pa Ma · Ma Ga · Ga Re · Re Sa ``` ▶ sets **Beats → 2**. ### Paltas in threes · 3 beats Three-note groups. Builds smoother runs. Continues into taar until a cell **starts on Sȧ** (Sȧ Rė Gȧ). ``` Aroha: Sa Re Ga · Re Ga Ma · Ga Ma Pa · Ma Pa Dha · Pa Dha Ni · Dha Ni Sȧ · Ni Sȧ Rė · Sȧ Rė Gȧ Avaroha: Gȧ Rė Sȧ · Rė Sȧ Ni · Sȧ Ni Dha · Ni Dha Pa · Dha Pa Ma · Pa Ma Ga · Ma Ga Re · Ga Re Sa ``` ▶ sets **Beats → 3**. ### Paltas in fours · 4 beats Four-note groups. The workhorse agility drill. Continues into taar until a cell **starts on Sȧ** (Sȧ Rė Gȧ Mȧ). ``` Aroha: Sa Re Ga Ma · Re Ga Ma Pa · Ga Ma Pa Dha · Ma Pa Dha Ni · Pa Dha Ni Sȧ · Dha Ni Sȧ Rė · Ni Sȧ Rė Gȧ · Sȧ Rė Gȧ Mȧ Avaroha: Mȧ Gȧ Rė Sȧ · Gȧ Rė Sȧ Ni · Rė Sȧ Ni Dha · Sȧ Ni Dha Pa · Ni Dha Pa Ma · Dha Pa Ma Ga · Pa Ma Ga Re · Ma Ga Re Sa ``` ▶ sets **Beats → 4**. ### Paltas in fives · 5 beats Five-note groups. Same climbing rule: keep going into taar until a cell **starts on Sȧ** (Sȧ Rė Gȧ Mȧ Pȧ). ``` Aroha: Sa Re Ga Ma Pa · Re Ga Ma Pa Dha · Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni · Ma Pa Dha Ni Sȧ · Pa Dha Ni Sȧ Rė · Dha Ni Sȧ Rė Gȧ · Ni Sȧ Rė Gȧ Mȧ · Sȧ Rė Gȧ Mȧ Pȧ Avaroha: Pȧ Mȧ Gȧ Rė Sȧ · Mȧ Gȧ Rė Sȧ Ni · Gȧ Rė Sȧ Ni Dha · Rė Sȧ Ni Dha Pa · Sȧ Ni Dha Pa Ma · Ni Dha Pa Ma Ga · Dha Pa Ma Ga Re · Pa Ma Ga Re Sa ``` ▶ sets **Beats → 5**. --- ## Turns & arches Neighbour folds and up-and-down arches — phrasing and control. ### Neighbour turn (Sa Re Ga Re Sa) · 5 beats Each cell steps up two swaras and folds back — the classic "Sa Re Ga Re Sa" palta. Great for control and for smoothing the connection between neighbouring notes. Last aroha cell starts on Sȧ. ``` Aroha: Sa Re Ga Re Sa · Re Ga Ma Ga Re · Ga Ma Pa Ma Ga · Ma Pa Dha Pa Ma · Pa Dha Ni Dha Pa · Dha Ni Sȧ Ni Dha · Ni Sȧ Rė Sȧ Ni · Sȧ Rė Gȧ Rė Sȧ Avaroha: Sȧ Rė Gȧ Rė Sȧ · Ni Sȧ Rė Sȧ Ni · Dha Ni Sȧ Ni Dha · Pa Dha Ni Dha Pa · Ma Pa Dha Pa Ma · Ga Ma Pa Ma Ga · Re Ga Ma Ga Re · Sa Re Ga Re Sa ``` ▶ sets **Beats → 5**. ### Arches (up-and-down cells) · 7 beats (Rupak) Each cell rises three swaras and comes back — a little arch — with the base climbing the scale, then walking down to Sa. Trains phrasing and breath over a longer line. ``` Aroha: Sa Re Ga Ma Ga Re Sa · Re Ga Ma Pa Ma Ga Re · Ga Ma Pa Dha Pa Ma Ga · Ma Pa Dha Ni Dha Pa Ma · Pa Dha Ni Sȧ Ni Dha Pa · Dha Ni Sȧ Rė Sȧ Ni Dha · Ni Sȧ Rė Gȧ Rė Sȧ Ni · Sȧ Rė Gȧ Mȧ Gȧ Rė Sȧ Avaroha: Sȧ Rė Gȧ Mȧ Gȧ Rė Sȧ · Ni Sȧ Rė Gȧ Rė Sȧ Ni · Dha Ni Sȧ Rė Sȧ Ni Dha · Pa Dha Ni Sȧ Ni Dha Pa · Ma Pa Dha Ni Dha Pa Ma · Ga Ma Pa Dha Pa Ma Ga · Re Ga Ma Pa Ma Ga Re · Sa Re Ga Ma Ga Re Sa ``` ▶ 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 (intervals of a third). Trains bigger, cleaner interval jumps. Continues until a cell **starts on Sȧ** (Sȧ Gȧ). ``` Aroha: Sa Ga · Re Ma · Ga Pa · Ma Dha · Pa Ni · Dha Sȧ · Ni Rė · Sȧ Gȧ Avaroha: Gȧ Sȧ · Rė Ni · Sȧ Dha · Ni Pa · Dha Ma · Pa Ga · Ma Re · Ga Sa ``` ▶ sets **Beats → 2**. ### Fourths (skips) · 2 beats Skip two swaras each step (intervals of a fourth). Same climbing rule: keep going into taar until a cell **starts on Sȧ** (Sȧ Mȧ). ``` Aroha: Sa Ma · Re Pa · Ga Dha · Ma Ni · Pa Sȧ · Dha Rė · Ni Gȧ · Sȧ Mȧ Avaroha: Mȧ Sȧ · Gȧ Ni · Rė Dha · Sȧ Pa · Ni Ma · Dha Ga · Pa Re · Ma Sa ``` ▶ sets **Beats → 2**. ### Fifths (skips) · 2 beats Skip three swaras each step (intervals of a fifth). Continues until a cell **starts on Sȧ** (Sȧ Pȧ). ``` Aroha: Sa Pa · Re Dha · Ga Ni · Ma Sȧ · Pa Rė · Dha Gȧ · Ni Mȧ · Sȧ Pȧ Avaroha: Pȧ Sȧ · Mȧ Ni · Gȧ Dha · Rė Pa · Sȧ Ma · Ni Ga · Dha Re · Pa Sa ``` ▶ 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 up: base · +1 · base · +1 · +2. ``` Aroha: Sa Re Sa Re Ga · Re Ga Re Ga Ma · Ga Ma Ga Ma Pa · Ma Pa Ma Pa Dha · Pa Dha Pa Dha Ni · Dha Ni Dha Ni Sȧ · Ni Sȧ Ni Sȧ Rė · Sȧ Rė Sȧ Rė Gȧ Avaroha: Gȧ Rė Sȧ Rė Sȧ · Rė Sȧ Ni Sȧ Ni · Sȧ Ni Dha Ni Dha · Ni Dha Pa Dha Pa · Dha Pa Ma Pa Ma · Pa Ma Ga Ma Ga · Ma Ga Re Ga Re · Ga Re Sa Re Sa ``` ▶ sets **Beats → 5**. ### Skip-fill (Sa Ga Sa Re Ga) · 5 beats Leap to the third, return, then fill the gap: base · +2 · base · +1 · +2. ``` Aroha: Sa Ga Sa Re Ga · Re Ma Re Ga Ma · Ga Pa Ga Ma Pa · Ma Dha Ma Pa Dha · Pa Ni Pa Dha Ni · Dha Sȧ Dha Ni Sȧ · Ni Rė Ni Sȧ Rė · Sȧ Gȧ Sȧ Rė Gȧ Avaroha: Gȧ Rė Sȧ Gȧ Sȧ · Rė Sȧ Ni Rė Ni · Sȧ Ni Dha Sȧ Dha · Ni Dha Pa Ni Pa · Dha Pa Ma Dha Ma · Pa Ma Ga Pa Ga · Ma Ga Re Ma Re · Ga Re Sa Ga Sa ``` ▶ 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: base · +3 · base · +1 · +2 · +3. ``` Aroha: Sa Ma Sa Re Ga Ma · Re Pa Re Ga Ma Pa · Ga Dha Ga Ma Pa Dha · Ma Ni Ma Pa Dha Ni · Pa Sȧ Pa Dha Ni Sȧ · Dha Rė Dha Ni Sȧ Rė · Ni Gȧ Ni Sȧ Rė Gȧ · Sȧ Mȧ Sȧ Rė Gȧ Mȧ Avaroha: Mȧ Gȧ Rė Sȧ Mȧ Sȧ · Gȧ Rė Sȧ Ni Gȧ Ni · Rė Sȧ Ni Dha Rė Dha · Sȧ Ni Dha Pa Sȧ Pa · Ni Dha Pa Ma Ni Ma · Dha Pa Ma Ga Dha Ga · Pa Ma Ga Re Pa Re · Ma Ga Re Sa Ma Sa ``` ▶ sets **Beats → 6** (or Dadra). ### Peak arch (Sa Re Ga Ga Re Sa) · 6 beats Rise three, hold the peak, fold back: base · +1 · +2 · +2 · +1 · base. ``` Aroha: Sa Re Ga Ga Re Sa · Re Ga Ma Ma Ga Re · Ga Ma Pa Pa Ma Ga · Ma Pa Dha Dha Pa Ma · Pa Dha Ni Ni Dha Pa · Dha Ni Sȧ Sȧ Ni Dha · Ni Sȧ Rė Rė Sȧ Ni · Sȧ Rė Gȧ Gȧ Rė Sȧ Avaroha: Sȧ Rė Gȧ Gȧ Rė Sȧ · Ni Sȧ Rė Rė Sȧ Ni · Dha Ni Sȧ Sȧ Ni Dha · Pa Dha Ni Ni Dha Pa · Ma Pa Dha Dha Pa Ma · Ga Ma Pa Pa Ma Ga · Re Ga Ma Ma Ga Re · Sa Re Ga Ga Re Sa ``` ▶ sets **Beats → 6** (or Dadra). --- ## Pyramid Growing arches from Sa up until the peak is Sȧ, then from Sȧ down until the bottom is Sa. ### Pyramid (Sa → Sȧ → Sa) · quarters ``` Up from Sa: Sa Sa Re Sa Sa Re Ga Re Sa Sa Re Ga Ma Ga Re Sa Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Ma Ga Re Sa Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Pa Ma Ga Re Sa Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni Dha Pa Ma Ga Re Sa Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni Sȧ Ni Dha Pa Ma Ga Re Sa Down from Sȧ: Sȧ Sȧ Ni Sȧ Sȧ Ni Dha Ni Sȧ Sȧ Ni Dha Pa Dha Ni Sȧ Sȧ Ni Dha Pa Ma Pa Dha Ni Sȧ Sȧ Ni Dha Pa Ma Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni Sȧ Sȧ Ni Dha Pa Ma Ga Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni Sȧ Sȧ Ni Dha Pa Ma Ga Re Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni 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 (fast run) · sixteenths The same straight scale, up then straight back down, sung **fast and in a single breath**. This is a *sapaat tan* — the building block of classical fast passages. Start slow, keep it perfectly even, then accelerate. ``` Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni Sȧ Ni Dha Pa Ma Ga Re Sa ``` (Played as one continuous run — taar Sa once at the top; Ni stays on the same line.) On the interactive page, ▶ sets **More → Sixteenth** (continuous run; not a fixed cell). --- ## Make your own alankar Once 1–18 feel familiar, invent patterns. An alankar is just a **cell** you repeat while the starting note climbs (and later descends) the scale. **Ideas to try:** 1. Pick a cell shape (e.g. Sa Re Ga Re, or Sa Ga Ma Ga Sa). 2. Write it starting on Sa, then on Re, then Ga… (transpose). 3. Write the avaroha version on the next line. 4. Sing sargam → first-syllable+vowels (Sa Aa… / Re Ee… / …) or full Aa → put it in a taal. ### Pivot palta On the interactive page, **Pivot palta** builds an interval drill automatically: - Pick a **thaat** (same ten as above the numbered drills). Low / Pivot / High labels and the written palta use that thaat’s komal / tivra seats. - Every cell is **pivot + moving note** (e.g. `Sa Sa`, `Sa Re`) — or tick **Reverse (X → pivot)** for **moving note + pivot** (e.g. `Re Sa`, `Ga Sa`). - Choose **Low** and **High** for the moving-note range (defaults: mandra Ma → taar Ma). - The moving note walks **pivot → high → low → pivot** (scale-degree steps of the chosen thaat). - Choose a **pivot** inside that range, or tick **All pivots in range** to concatenate the shape on every scale note from low to high. - **Fill editor** writes it into the custom box; **▶** plays it (tempo = bottom-bar BPM / More → Note). While custom/pivot plays, the **on-page keyboard keys press visually** on each note (separate from bottom-bar **Tone**, which chooses harmonium samples vs synth for sound). Example (Bilawal, pivot Sa, normal): ``` Sa Sa | Sa Re | Sa Ga | … | Sa Ma' | … | Sa Ma, | … | Sa Sa ``` Example (Bilawal, pivot Sa, reverse): ``` Sa Sa | Re Sa | Ga Sa | … | Ma' Sa | … | Ma, Sa | … | Sa Sa ``` Example (Kafi, pivot Sa — komal ga / ni in the written line): ``` Sa Sa | Sa Re | Sa ga | … ``` ### Harmonium pad & save On the **interactive page**, use **Make your own alankar**: the pad is a **fixed Western keyboard** (C is always C) with **sargam names** (Sa Re Ga…) under each pitch for your chosen Sa — e.g. Sa = A# marks the A# key as Sa. Tap a key to hear it (sound follows bottom-bar **Tone**; the keyboard also lights during custom ▶ Play only) and insert the matching sargam name; use `|` between cells and a new line for avaroha, then ▶ Play. Tempo follows **BPM** and **More → Note / Dotted** in the bottom bar. ▶ also sets **Beats** to match the notes in one cell (see table above). You can **Save** a pattern (stored in this browser) and **Load** / **Delete** it later. For a melody with rests and mixed note lengths, open [Make your own tunes](tunes.html). ## Want to make your own tunes After the alankars, use the composer: rests, mixed note lengths, repeats, and a Bhatkhande preview. Open the interactive page: [tunes.html](tunes.html). | Type | Meaning | |------|---------| | `Sa Re Ga Ma` | shuddha names (spaces between notes) | | `re` `ga` `dha` `ni` | komal (lowercase) | | `Ma#` | tivra Ma | | `Sa'` … `Ni'` | taar (high) — dot above on the page | | `Sa,` … `Ni,` | mandra (low) — dot below on the page | | `\|` | gap between cells | | new line or `/` | start avaroha row | Example (4-style twos): ``` Sa Re | Re Ga | Ga Ma | Ma Pa | Pa Dha | Dha Ni | Ni Sa' Sa' Ni | Ni Dha | Dha Pa | Pa Ma | Ma Ga | Ga Re | Re Sa ``` --- ## A little further (once 1–18 are clean) - **Change thaat.** On the interactive page, pick a thaat above drill **1**. Same shapes; komal / tivra seats follow that parent scale (Khamaj, Kafi, Kalyan…). - **Combine with meend.** Sing 4/5 connecting the notes with a slight glide ([`sovt.md`](sovt.md) / meend in [`warmups.md`](warmups.md)) instead of clean steps. - **Set them in taal.** Fit an alankar neatly into a cycle on [`taals.html`](taals.html) / [`beats.md`](beats.md) — e.g. one four-note group per beat of Teentaal — so your drilling is also rhythm training. > **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, > tanpura droning throughout.