In Pakistani classical music, there are seven natural notes (frequencies): Sa, Re, Ga, Ma, Pa, Da, Ni.
Five of these can be modified into different frequencies known as Komal Sur and Teevar Sur, characterized by their pitch.
Komal Sur: Flat notes (♭Re, ♭Ga, ♭Dha, ♭Ni) Teevar Sur: Sharp note (♯Ma)
"Komal" translates to "soft" or "flat" in Urdu. Komal Sur are the flat versions of certain notes in the standard classical music scale—specifically Re, Ga, Dha, and Ni.
When these notes are sung or played in their Komal form, they are a semitone lower than their Shuddha (natural) counterparts, creating a significant difference in the melody.
"Teevar" translates to "sharp". There is only one Teevar Sur: Ma. The Teevar Ma is the sharp version of the natural Ma, a semitone higher than Shuddha Ma, also written as Ma#
These variations are crucial for forming different Ragas, the melodic frameworks for improvisation and composition in classical music.
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