Bhupali and Deskar

Hello Robert,

You wrote:
>>>> In fact, thinking it over, if one was singing over a drone,
or using harmonics, one would surely have four of the five notes
as 1/1 9/8 5/4 3/2 2/1.
So then choice is over 27/16 or 5/3 for the remaining note,
i.e. 9/8 above the 3/2, or 10/9 above it. >>>>

I believe the above reference can well apply to two pentatonic Indian
raga-s: Bhupali and Deskar [both C, D, E, G, A]. And the contentious
note seems to be Dha (A), because Sa (C), Re (D), Ga (E) and Pa (G)
are already acceptably established, as mentioned by you above.

In deskar, the glide from Sa (C) of the higher octeve to Dha (A), and
back to Sa (C) of the higher octave -- is very frequently performed.
Could it be, that the phrase E-G-A-G-E (typical of Bhupali) uses the
lower shruti of A, than that used in Deskar, which uses the glide
from Sa (C) of the higher octeve to Dha (A), and back to Sa (C) of
the highr octave?

Though such phenomena take place commonly and naturally, yet they are
not mentioned or discussed anywhere in Indian musical texts -- the
singer goes by his sense of aesthetics. It is always desirable to try
to give scientific basis to any such aesthetical and intuitive
processes -- if we can.

Regards,
Haresh.

--- In tuning@y..., "Haresh BAKSHI" <hareshbakshi@h...> wrote:

> Though such phenomena take place commonly and naturally, yet they are
> not mentioned or discussed anywhere in Indian musical texts -- the
> singer goes by his sense of aesthetics. It is always desirable to try
> to give scientific basis to any such aesthetical and intuitive
> processes -- if we can.

And a scientific basis would mean, first and foremost, empirical verification.