Music Notes __exclusive__ | Tamil

| Note Name (Sanskrit/Tamil) | Symbol | Western Equivalent | Description | | :--- | :---: | :--- | :--- | | | Sa | C | The tonic/base note. It is fixed and does not move. | | Rishabham | Ri | D | Second note. Has 3 variations (pitch variants). | | Gandharam | Ga | E | Third note. Has 3 variations. | | Madhyamam | Ma | F | Fourth note. Has 2 variations. | | Panchamam | Pa | G | The perfect fifth. Fixed note. | | Dhaivatham Dha | A | Sixth note. Has 3 variations. | | Nishadham | Ni | B | Seventh note. Has 3 variations. |

: One of the earliest scales, equivalent to the pentatonic Raga Mohanam (S-R-G-P-D). tamil music notes

The notation of Tamil music is a sophisticated system of writing rhythm and pitch. Traditional Tamil music uses a notation script derived from the Tamil alphabet, where symbols are placed above or below the letters to indicate the Sruti (pitch) and Laya (rhythm). In contrast to Western staff notation, which fixes a note to an absolute frequency, Tamil notes are relational. The Sa is not a specific frequency but a movable tonic chosen by the singer. This flexibility allows the musician to explore the microtones ( Sruti bedham ) that give Tamil music its characteristic emotional depth—the slight oscillation in a Ri that conveys longing, or the sharp, flat Ga that expresses fury. | Note Name (Sanskrit/Tamil) | Symbol | Western