Mastering Raag Desh: A Guide for Guitar Players

Many guitar enthusiasts and music students approach me with a common request: can an instructor provide guitar tabs for Raag Desh? While I understand the desire to quickly learn a song, teaching guitar players a more profound skill set is my primary goal. This article will guide you through the process of learning Raag Desh by ear, a mastering technique that, although initially slow, significantly enhances your musical ability over time.

Why Learn Raag Desh by Ear?

Understanding and learning Raag Desh by ear offers several unique benefits. Instead of relying on pre-made guitar tabs, you develop a deeper understanding of the melody, rhythm, and emotional context of the music. This skill not only makes you a more versatile musician, but it also enhances your creative process and artistic expression.

Step 1: Ear Training Exercises

Ear training is the foundation for learning Raag Desh without tabs. Start by practicing exercises designed to recognize and reproduce musical notes. Here are a few exercises you can begin with:

Intervals: Practice hearing and reproducing different intervals, such as major thirds, perfect fifths, and octaves. Rhythmic Patterns: Develop a sense of rhythm by clapping or tapping along to specific beats and rhythms. Imitation: Listen to a short phrase or melody and try to play it back accurately.

These exercises will sharpen your aural skills, allowing you to identify and play notes on the guitar more confidently.

Step 2: Applying Ear Skills to Tunes

Once you have honed your ear training skills, the next step is to apply them to real tunes. Start by trying out as many melodies as possible, and focus on learning Raag Desh in this manner:

Listen to recordings of Raag Desh multiple times. Pay close attention to the melody and rhythm. Attempt to play along with the recordings, even if only a little at first. Gradually build up your understanding and ability to play the melody exactly as heard.

The more you practice, the faster you will be able to learn new songs. As you gain confidence, you will be able to recognize and play notes almost immediately, even before the song finishes.

Understanding the Descent of Raag Desh

The ascent and descent of Raag Desh are particularly fascinating. The ascent is characterized as:

Ascent - Ni Sa Re Ma Pa Ni Sa

While the descent follows this pattern:

Descent - Sa ni Dha Pa Dha Ma Ga Re Pa Ma Ga Re Ga Ni Sa

Understanding these patterns can help you practice and master the scale for Raag Desh. You can find the notes discussed here in Wikipedia: Desh raga - Wikipedia.

Translating Notes to Absolute Pitch

Once you recognize the notes, translating them to absolute pitch for the fretboard on your guitar is straightforward. Here’s a basic example:

Notes in Raag Desh:

Ni G Re A Re B Ma D Pa E Ni G Sa C

To practice, start by trying out these notes on the guitar. As you get better, you'll find that you can move the notes around the fretboard and still play the correct melody. Listen to the melody and play along, and you'll start to get a feel for the scale.

Remember, the more you practice translating these notes to the fretboard, the more you'll become familiar with playing Raag Desh by ear without the need for guitar tabs.

So why use tabs when you can learn by ear and play more musically?

Take advantage of the vast musical journey that awaits you. Happy practicing!