Harmonium Notes — Complete Sargam & Western Note Map
The harmonium uses the Indian Sargam system — seven swaras that map one-to-one with the Western letter notes. Learn the full set once and every raag, bhajan, and film melody becomes readable. This guide covers the seven swaras, their variants, their position on the Web Harmonium keyboard, and the patterns you need to practise them.
The Seven Swaras
| Sargam | Full Name | Western | Key |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sa | Shadja | C | Z / Q |
| Re | Rishabha | D | X / W |
| Ga | Gandhara | E | C / E |
| Ma | Madhyama | F | V / R |
| Pa | Panchama | G | B / T |
| Dha | Dhaivata | A | N / Y |
| Ni | Nishada | B | M / U |
Web Harmonium spans two octaves — the first on the Z–M row, the second on Q–U. A dot or prime mark (Sa') denotes the upper octave.
Reading Harmonium Notation
Indian notation is compact: swaras are written in a line, with dots and underlines to denote octave and variant. Here is the cheat sheet:
- Dot above the swara — upper octave (Sȧ or Sa')
- Dot below the swara — lower octave (Sạ)
- Underline — komal (flat) note, lowered by a semitone
- Vertical stroke above Ma — tivra (sharp) Ma, raised by a semitone
- No mark — shuddha (natural) swara in the middle octave
- Parentheses around a swara — grace note (kan swara)
Essential Practice Patterns
Aaroh (ascending)
Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni Sa'
C D E F G A B C
The natural ascending scale — start here. Play slowly, sustain each note until the reed speaks cleanly.
Avroh (descending)
Sa' Ni Dha Pa Ma Ga Re Sa
C B A G F E D C
The descending scale. Practice aaroh and avroh together to internalise the shape of the thaat.
Pakad (catch phrase)
Ni Sa Re Ga — Re Ga Ma Pa
B C D E — D E F G
A short melodic fragment that identifies a raag. Every raag has its own pakad.
Alankar (ornament exercise)
Sa Re Ga — Re Ga Ma — Ga Ma Pa
C D E — D E F — E F G
Three-note groups climbing up the scale. Builds finger independence and ear training.
Tips for Learning Notes Faster
- Always sing the swara name as you press the key — voice and hand memory together double the retention speed.
- Drone the tanpura in the background so your ear locks to Sa. Variants of Re, Ga, Dha, Ni reveal their character only against a steady drone.
- Practise the ascending scale in three tempos (slow / medium / brisk) using the built-in metronome before moving to avroh.
- Record a minute of aaroh-avroh each day. Comparing week one to week four is the single most motivating practice habit.
- Once the seven shuddha swaras feel automatic, introduce komal Re, komal Ga, and tivra Ma — these three unlock the majority of Hindustani raags.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the harmonium notes?
The seven basic harmonium notes are Sa, Re, Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, Ni — the Sargam swaras. They correspond to the Western notes C, D, E, F, G, A, B when the harmonium is tuned to C. Five of the seven swaras also have komal (flat) or tivra (sharp) variants played on the black keys.
How do I read harmonium notation?
Indian classical notation shows swaras on a single line: Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni. A dot above a swara raises it an octave; a dot below lowers it. Komal notes carry a line underneath (e.g. Re with a bar). Tivra Ma carries a vertical stroke above. Web Harmonium displays both Sargam and Western labels on every key.
What is the difference between komal and shuddha notes?
Shuddha means natural. Komal means flat — it lowers the swara by a semitone. Only Re, Ga, Dha, and Ni have komal variants. Ma uniquely has a tivra (sharp) variant that raises it by a semitone. Sa and Pa are fixed and have no variants.
How many notes does a harmonium have?
Physical harmoniums range from 32 to 42 keys, typically spanning 3 to 3.5 octaves. Web Harmonium renders 22 keys covering two full octaves — enough to play the vast majority of raag and bhajan repertoire.
Where are the black keys on the harmonium?
Black keys sit between specific white keys following the same layout as a piano. On Web Harmonium they map to the number row: 2, 3, 5, 6, 7 for the first octave and 1, 2, 4, 5, 7 for the second. Use them to play komal Re, komal Ga, tivra Ma, komal Dha, and komal Ni.
Can I see note names while I play?
Yes. Every key on Web Harmonium is permanently labeled with both the Sargam swara and the Western note name. You can also toggle labels on or off from the control panel if you prefer a cleaner keyboard for performance.
Related pages
Sargam Guide
Full explanation of the seven swaras, thaats, and how Sargam relates to Western solfège.
Notes for Beginners
A first-lesson walkthrough of the seven basic notes with practice exercises.
Harmonium Chords
Essential major, minor, and devotional chord progressions on the harmonium.
Raag & Tunes
Beginner raags (Bhupali, Yaman, Bhairav) and practice melodies with note sequences.
How to Play
Step-by-step guide to playing your first melody — from scale to raag.
Keyboard Shortcuts
Full QWERTY-to-Sargam mapping reference for fast playing.
Ready to play the notes?
The Web Harmonium keyboard labels every key with its Sargam name and Western equivalent. Start with Sa and climb the scale.
Open the Harmonium