Topic started by Stanley Lyndon (@ 203.145.182.15) on Wed Oct 27 08:10:03 EDT 2004.
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.

I am learning to play the flute by myself. I bought a carnatic flute and a book. I learnt the notes and fingering from the book.

But, when I went to buy a different flute, I was confused by the variety of models of carnatic flutes!

In "mathiyasthayi" (middle octave) there are flutes from 1, 1 1/2, 2, 2 1/2, etc. till 7!

He told me that 2 1/2 is D# flute and 4 is F flute.

Which means that "Sa" (first 2 holes closed) is D# and F respectively in the two flutes. Fine.

But, how are the rest of the notes arranged? Does a D# flute play in the western scale of D# MAJOR SCALE or in any other fashion?

That is, in F flute, playing a "SA" will sound F, playing a "RE" will sound G, playing a "GA" will sound A, playing a "MA" will sound B-FLAT (?), etc?

Or, is it like, "SA" is F, "RE" is G, "GA" is A, "MA" is B, "PA" is C+, "DA" is D+, and "NI" is E+?

Kindly help.

Responses:

• From: Stanley Lyndon (@ 203.145.182.15) on: Thu Oct 28 03:23:07 EDT 2004
  
  anybody?
  
  
• From: Sundar (@ 202.9.142.131) on: Mon Nov 8 09:30:43 EST 2004
  
  I am not an expert on Flutes, but I understand carnatic music a little. So I am attempting an answer which is most probably the logical one.
  
  In carnatic music there is no relevance for an absolute pitch. That is I can treat the pitch 440 Hz as ‘Sa’ in carnatic where as in western this will have to be an A.
  
  Which brings us to the original question. Basically the note sounded in any flute( 1 to 7) for a given finger pattern will always be the same in Carnatic music. That is, the ‘adhrara shadjam’ or Tonic C note which is the middle (Matthiya Sthayi) ‘Sa’ just shifts as you use a flute which goes up in number( from 1 to 7). A 1 number flute will have very low pitched tonic C as opposed to a 7 numbered flute, which will have vary high pitched tonic C. I guess you should go for a 2 or 21/2 flute for best results
  
  
• From: Arunan Tharmarajah (@ webcacheh07a.cache.pol.co.uk) on: Tue Dec 28 17:34:46
  
  Hey
  Im sorry if this is too late for you but if you dont know - there are two different types of notes for all of the swaras except Sa and Pa. These correspnd to the western notes.
  I will explain
  
  On a F (4) flute.
  Sa - F
  Ri(1) - F#
  Ri(2) G
  Ga1 - G#
  Ga 2 - A
  Ma1 - A#
  Ma2 - B
  Pa - C
  Da1 - C#
  
  And as you increase the notes just increase by a semi-tone as you can see.
  However, some ragas features 3 versions of a note but in proncipal these are to include two versions of the same notes eg Ga1 and Ga2 in the same raga without confusion so Ga1 in changed to i think R3
  
  Contact me on anotherarunan@hotmail.com
  
  I am 15 and live in london and have been learning from a teacher for 3 years.
  
  
• From: manisha (@ 202.157.83.6) on: Tue Jan 4 12:52:34 EST 2005
  
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