Confluence of Indian Raagaas and Western Musical Scales- A Compilation of Comparative and General Study

A great many excellent books on Raagaas (Indian musical scales/modes), written by well-known musicians and scholars, are available worldwide.

In this single volume titled "Confluence of Indian Raagaas and Western Musical Scales", aimed at helping you understand and relish the music of all genres better, a small and humble attempt has been made at a simple compilation of comparative and general study. It is an outcome of many years of efforts, which i actually started for my personal use. Even though it might be mistaken for a work of compilation, it is the result of years of profound and meticulous research into understanding, interpreting, classifying such a vast music and presenting the findings in an easy to understand way.

Although there are lots of raagaas sung, played and practiced, herein, only some of the important and individualistic raagaas are presented in terms of simplicity, soulfulness, personality, pleasantness, appeal, practice, ability to understand etc. This process has resulted in the comparative study of Carnaatic, Hindhusthaani and Western musical systems.

In order to acquire a strong foundation and also to become a musician you aspire in the long run, some important Raagaas / Indian musical scales (comprising both Carnaatic & Hindhusthaani music of India) have been dealt with certain basic details, like scale-forming structural notes / swaroop, grammar, application, reference songs /compositions of different styles and kinds, glossaries etc.

This book is meant to be a ready-reckoner as well as a learner-friendly guide and hopefully will help identify, enjoy and practice classical and contemporary scales of Indian, Western and World music which are pleasing, interesting and popular at present, through famous songs and compositions of different genres, in the easiest way. It will be much easier for those who have learnt or are accustomed to one of the musical systems, can learn the other 2 musical systems. (i.c. suppose a musician is already exposed to carnaatic music, then s/he can easily understand and learn the hindhusthaani and western music and vice versa). Also, one of the ideas behind this book is to enable the students to understand, identify and learn the scales/raagaas on their own through the reference songs.

i am under a deep debt of gratitude to one of my best friends and masters, N. Viswanathan, a musician by name Thaaram N. Vishwanaath, a (VRS Opted) Professor & HoD in Physics at Sri Vasavi college, Erode, Thamilnaadu, India, for his moral support, valuable clarifications, suggestions and kind reference materials. In addition, at my request, he generously and readily consented to write the foreword to this work which i take it a honour.

As a Physicist, my definition of Music is Aesthetics of Sound'!

In that parlance, I very much appreciate Chandramohan's effort to bring in 4 Schools of Classical Music (Carnaatic, Hindhusthaani, Thamil, Western) and 1 more (contemporary music i.c., Western and Indian Light music or modern music genres, if it can be taken that way as well) under one roof in this book "Confluence of Indian Raagaas and Western Musical Scales ".

It is quite hard for a single person to refer so many materials and human resources to write a comparative study material of this caliber!

Though he has mentioned that this book is meant to be a work of compilation, ready-reckoner & guide into the Indian, Western and World Music, had this work been submitted to a University's Music Department, this would definitely go beyond the requirements of an M.Phil thesis!

His dealings on Raagaas of Carnaatic, Hindhusthaani and Thamil Isai, along with Western Scales / Modes, Moorchanakaaraka (Mod-Shift-Tonic) efforts, Triads and Chords from Classical & Contemporary Western Music, Nomenclature comparisons, listing of Composers of each genre etc. definitely manifest Chandramohan's comprehensive approach!

The silverline is his sincere efforts to bring in the younger generation by offering a list of cinema songs, private albums, etc., contextually, as references, then and there, in whichever school of music he is into.

I Wish & Pray Greater Success to the book as well as to Chandramohan.

**Contents and Sample Pages**