Exploring Intonation in Classical Indian Music
Tone Circle Drone's intonation settings make it possible to explore the tunings used in the classical music of India. A single or multi-note drone can be set up that serve as the reference point for the intervals in a raga, similar to the function provided by the tanpura. Individual raga notes can be sounded at their exact pitches, serving as guides that help one hear and match their exact pitches.
NOMENCLATURE
In the Options Panel, under Note Nomenclature, the choice Sargam will bring up the classical Indian note names for display on the individual tones. Sargam is much like Western music's solfeggio system. The Sa (short for Shadja) is the tonic, and like the Western Do. Sa can be tuned to any pitch, making Sargam similar to flexible Do solfeggio.
| Indian Note Name | Solfege equivalent |
|---|---|
| Sa (Shadja) | Do |
| Ri (Rishabha) | Re |
| Ga (Gandhara) | Mi |
| Ma (Madhyama) | Fa |
| Pa (Panchama) | Sol |
| Dha (Dhaivata) | La |
| Ni (Nishada) | Ti |
A big difference between Solfege and Sargam is that Sargam lacks enharmonic equivalents that exist in Western music, where a D# is the exact same pitch as Eb. In the Indian system, modifications of scale degrees are limited to four cases: Ri, Ga, and Dha can be komal (flatted) and, Ma can be tivra (sharped).
TUNING
Classical Indian music's complex tuning system highlights the expressive power of each scale degree. Sa and Pa (which are also the most usual drone pitches) are considered to have a fixed intonation, with the Pa always being a perfect integer ratio (3:2) to Sa. This interval is two cents sharper than an equal-tempered fifth. All the other notes can be tuned to an assortment of pitches arrived at via differing sequences of integer number ratios starting from Sa.
Since a raga rarely uses all twelve tones, nor modulates, the pitch of each note can be optimized for the greatest consonance and expressivity for that particular raga. There is no need to compromise to accommodate theoretically possible notes which are never played.
As a purely mathematical demonstration, consider two possible alternatives for tuning Ri. We might tune Ri to a perfect fifth relationship to the tanpura's Pa. But we could also tune Ri via a perfect fifth relationship to a Dha that is tuned as a perfect major sixth to Sa. Thus we have the following two paths to Ri:
| Sa | up fifth (Pa) | up fifth (Re') | down octave | Re | |
| 1 | x 3/2 | x 3/2 | x 1/2 | = | 9/8 |
| Sa | up major 3rd (Ga) | up fourth (Dha) | down fifth | Re | |
| 1 | x 5/4 | x 4/3 | x 2/3 | = | 10/9 |
Note on the above math: 5/4 x 4/3 = 5/3 (a "Just" ascending major sixth). A descending perfect fourth is equal to an ascending fifth combined with a descending octave (3/2 x 1/2).
There are several different whole-number ratio pathways that can be taken to tune each scale degree. Alain Danielou, in The Ragas of Northern Indian Music shows five different paths that rely solely on whole number ratios limited to the prime factors 2, 3, and 5. These calculations are captured into Tone Circle Drone's five Shruti tunings, ordered from lowest to highest: SHRUTI_LOW, SHRUTI_ML (medium low), SHRUTI_MID (middle), SHRUTI_MH (medium high), SHRUTI_HIGH.
Continuing with our example, depending on which Ri is being used in the raga, we can either select the tuning SHRUTI_ML (10/9, -18 cents off equal temperament) or SHRUTI_MID (9/8, +4 cents off equal temperament). If an intermediate value is desired, this can be set manually via the Cents slider.
The different tunings for each raga scale degree are associated with their own expressive characteristics. Where a lower pitch might be seen as sad, submissive, dark, or weak, a sharper tuning might be considered joyful, assertive, bright or strong. But the exact interpretation will certainly depend on context and tradition as much as any generalization we might have based on expectations associated with western concepts of Major and Minor. Each raga's unique expressive character is very much derived the expressive characteristic that arise from the tunings of the individual scale degrees as well as their role in that raga.
Making use of the DroneSets that come with Tone Circle Drone
There are two types of drone-settings files that can be loaded and played by Tone Circle Drone. These found at and downloaded from the tonecircledrone application tab.
The first type are assorted tanpura patterns. These patterns mimic common tanpura practice. The Pa is followed by two Sa' tones which are in turn followed by Sa. These four tones may all be sounded in an even rhythm, or a beat's pause may be inserted after the root Sa, or, a beat may be inserted after both the Pa and the root Sa.
In addition to the rhythmic variants, the set of tanpura drone patterns includes a four-note sequence where Ni is substituted for the first Sa', and another set where tivra Ma is substituted for Pa. The choice of tanpura pattern will very with the raga. For example, the Pa Ni Sa' Sa drone (files named with the prefix nisa...) might be used with Bhiarav which has Ni as one of its tones. Similarly, Vibhasa would use the tivra-Ma Sa' Sa' Sa pattern (named with the prefix nopa...) as this raga has a tivra Ma instead of Pa.
For the drone timbre, the ETanpura synthesizer is the default. It is not an authentic replica of a true tanpura but does have some fine qualities of its own. Feel free to select another of the timbres.
The second type of dronesets included are the tones of a sampling of ragas. There are two files per raga, one with the tones in ascending order, the other with tones in descending order. The particular tunings, as specified by Danielou, are encoded into the Tune field of the droneset. The bell-like EPiano timbre has been selected at the default for its sonorous and complimentary qualities to the ETanpura, but feel free to substitute another.
The ascending pattern is given not as an Aroha (ascending form of a raga), nor the descending notes as an Avaroha (descending form), but instead are meant to be a convenient way to include each tone along with its particular tuning. Two sets are sometimes but not always required for ragas where the notes and/or tunings are different in the two directions. These dronesets can be used as starting points for new drone patterns for particular training tasks. (a reminder: it is possible to click-drag a tone from one position on the dial to another as a way to quickly construct a new drone pattern.)
As for exercises, consider using some of the ideas suggested in the How To Topics article More Ideas for Improving Intonation Skills, but with the inclusion of both a tanpura drone pattern and a raga pattern playing at the same time. Danielou writes that learning to identify and recreate a note's expressive characteristics plays a role in this process. An intriguing possibility might be to have a drone alternately play the right and a wrong tuning of given tone of the raga, and listen critically to try and discern the expressive differences between the incorrect and the correct tuning.