GAAYAKA notation files
(For playing using Gaayaka)

(Updated 21st April,2009 - only songs not included in RasikaV2 are now given in this page)

This page gives some Gaayaka notation files not included in the distribution of RasikaV2. These can be played as such using Gaayaka or even if you do not have Gaayaka, you can use the notation to practice or sing. (In fact as the notation is detailed including anuswarams, it will make it easier to play on instruments like Veena).

A brief explanation of Gaayaka notation: Two minor departures have been made from the usual notation system to make it easy for entering notation in the computer text editor. Brackets are used in place of lines drawn over the notes for showing higher kaalams. A left bracket means start of the next higher Kaalam (twice the current tempo) and a right bracket terminates it. The following graphic illustrates it. Click the links for detailed description of the Gaayaka files format and Carnatic music notation system

To represent the higher and lower octaves I have used different cases of letters, again due to the difficulty in putting dots above and below characters. All letters in lower case mean middle octave, first letter in upper case means higher octave and first letter in lower case and second letter in upper case means lower octave (This means that necessarily the full notation sa ri ga ma is used and not s r g m p). Thus

mA pA dA nI sa ri ga ma pa da ni Sa Ri Ga Ma Pa

represents notation from ma of lower octave (Mandhra Sthaayi) to Pa of upper octave (Thaara Sthaayi)

Other symbols used in these files: The symbols < and > increase or decrease the note pitch by fraction of 81/80 (a comma). The symbols \ and / increase the transit duration from note to note by 50 milliseconds (the normal transit time is 50 milliseconds). For files of version 1.4 and later, the symbol $ toggles the auto thalam. The symbol {M } with a number after M indicates change of melam from that point (used for ragamalika) and the symbol {T } with a number after T indicates new tempo from that point.

To download all the files listed below as a single .zip file click gkafiles.zip (18 kb)

Songs included in the zip file above:

1. Anandamrithaakarshani in raagam Amrithavarshani (file anandamritha.gka). The raagam itself is said to have been conceived by Dheekshithar and the song composed invoking rain.

2. Chinthaya Ma Kanda Moolakandham in Bhairavi also by Dheekshithar (file chinthayamaa.gka). This is one of the Pnachabhootha linga kshethra kritis on Ekaambreswara of Kaancheepuram representing earth. (Arunachalanaatham representing fire is included in RasikaV2)

3. DevaDeva kalayaami in Maayamaalavagowla by Swathi Thirunaal (file devadeva.gka).

4. Durga Lakshmi Saraswathi (Navaraathri krithi) in Arabhi by Paapanaasam Sivan (file durgalakshmi.gka).

5. Gajavadana karuna sadhana in Sriranjani by Paapanaasam Sivan (file gajavadana.gka).

6. Jayathi Jayathi Bharatha Maatha in Kamas by Maayuram Viswanaatha Sastri (file jayathijayathi.gka). (A song with less gamakams suitable for group singing).

7. Kamalaambaam Bhajare in Kalyaani by Dheekshithar (file kamalambam.gka).

8. Sankari Sankuru in Saaveri by Syaama Saasthri (file sankarisankuru.gka).

9. Sarojadhalanethri in Sankaraabharanam by Syama Saasthri (file sarojadala.gka).

10. Siva Siva yana in Panthuvaraali by Thyaagaraajar (file sivasiva.gka)

Save the zip file in your PC, extract the contents into the folder in which you have installed RasikaV2. You can play the song directly in Gaayaka. The files can be played both in the older versions of Gaayaka (distributed with Rasika 1.4 and 1.5) and the latest version (V2). However the full file name will not be displayed in the file dialog of Gaayaka in the older versions but the truncated name like 'ananda~1.gka'. In the case of versions older than 1.4 you will get an error "Invalid Melam data" and a series of numbers starting with 999999 in the beginning of the file. Delete these numbers, set the melam and tempo before playing the file. You can find the melam number of the song by looking up the raagam in Raagam module of Rasika.

If you do not have Gaayaka, you can use any text editor to view the file. The 2 numbers - a seven digit number and a 3 digit number in the beginning represent the melam and tempo for Gaayaka. You can ignore them. You have to interpret the notation as explained earlier.

Though Natha Jana Paalini (by Thanjavur Sankara Iyer in raagam Nalinakanthi) is included in RasikaV2, I am retaining the Real Audio file for downloading or playing, as I had received appreciative comments about it. The music is as generated by Gaayaka (saved as a .wav file using that option in Gaayaka) and converted into Real Audio format. Play Nathajana palini or download the song (350 kb)

I will add more songs in due course - some unpublished ones also. Click here to send your suggestions.

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