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Understanding Swaras and How to Sing Them

Indian classical music is known for its intricacies and complexities, especially when it comes to ragas and swaras. But did you know that understanding and singing swaras can be made easy through practice and patience? In this article, we will discuss what swaras are and how to sing them by breaking down a popular film song.



Swaras are the fundamental notes of Indian classical music. There are seven swaras in total, namely Sa, Re, Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, and Ni. Each swara has a specific pitch and is associated with a particular syllable.


When it comes to singing swaras, it is important to understand the rhythm and melody of the song.


In film music, composers can use a combination of various ragas or choose one particular raga as the base and add some swaras that do not belong to the raga. These additional swaras are called alien notes or aneswaras and are used to add extra flavor to the song or richness to the scene.


To understand swaras, one can break down a popular film song, such as "Roja Janeman" from the movie "Roja." The song uses a mixture of the Kaapi and Des ragas.

The humming part of the song has two parts, and each part has two hummings. In total, there are four hummings. When singing an aala or humming, it is important to maintain the rhythm and melody.


Singing swaras may seem complex at first, but with practice and patience, it can be mastered. Understanding the rhythm and melody of the song is essential, and breaking down each part can make it easier to learn. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can begin to understand swaras and how to sing them correctly.

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