The Emotive Power of Music: Ancient Systems for Learning - Raag and Ras

Music is often said to be a universal language, and for good reason. It has been around for as long as humankind has existed and can be found in every culture on Earth.

In India, there is an ancient system for learning music - one that is still practiced today. This system is known as Raag and Ras.

- Raag & Ras -

The topic of Raag is an entire universe of its own. A Raag is a melodic framework for improvisation in Hindustani Classical Music. It consists not only of a scale, but also a set of melodic patterns ('alankar') that can be used to create compositions. A Raag is not merely an abstract system of notes and intervals; it is associated with different moods, times or seasons. One way to look at Raag is to imagine a three-dimensional music scale, where each note is revered and sung or played in a characteristic way, with certain guidelines on how to ascend and descend the scale. More on the anatomy of a Raag here!

While Raags can be thought of as a set of rules for how to play or sing, Ras is the emotional quality that develops in an artist's performance, and it reflects the mood created by Raag.

Ras is the intangible essence, or mood, the emotional element of a Raag. It is defined as the feeling, sentiment, and mood that resides within the musician's mind at any given moment when they are playing Raags. Ras is what you are expressing with your voice while singing or playing an instrument. It is the emotional connection to each melody that has been passed down as part of an oral tradition for generations.

Each Raag has certain Rasas associated with it.

There are thousands of Raags to express for every mood and situation, which we all experience in life. Beyond the general moods such as 'happy' or 'sad', 'angry' or 'contented' - In Indian music, these emotive effects have been investigated, categorized, and refined into a vast system of learning. Each Raag has its own set of note combinations (aalaps) that are unique to it. The melodic patterns have an emotional quality that is entirely different from other Raags. Every Raag evokes a very specific emotive effect on both listener and performer, and the most skillful musicians have over time created such a relationship to the Raag that they can render it and move the hearts of an entire audience.

The principles of Raag and Ras may seem esoteric, but they're just another way our ancestors have devised to preserve eternal knowledge. In ancient times, there was no written system to capture knowledge. It had to be consciously memorized by students and meticulously handed down from teacher to student and be perfected by families and schools devoted to this precious art.

Explore the essence of Raag & Ras, and develop your relationship to the different Raags in our resource The Vocal Artistry: Library !