STRINGSCALES

A kafi raga Scale — Guitar Fretboard Visualization

Low E string: E, F#, G, G#, A, C, C#, D, E at frets 0, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 12

A string: A, C, C#, D, E, F#, G, G#, A at frets 0, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12

D string: D, E, F#, G, G#, A, C, C#, D at frets 0, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12

G string: G, G#, A, C, C#, D, E, F#, G at frets 0, 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 9, 11, 12

B string: C, C#, D, E, F#, G, G#, A at frets 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10

High E string: E, F#, G, G#, A, C, C#, D, E at frets 0, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 12

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A kafi raga

The kafi raga scale is the frame of raga Kafi from Hindustani music, catalogued here as an eight note set with both 3rds and both 7ths: root, flat and major 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, flat and major 7th. The paired inflections mirror how the raga bends between dorian-like rest and brighter ornament. Its overall mood is gentle and romantic rather than austere.

it consists of these notes and degrees:

A

I

C

bIII

C♯

III

D

IV

E

V

F♯

VI

G

bVII

G♯

VII

kafi raga in all 12 keys, with chords and related scales

tip
  • Center on the dorian core (root, II, b3 (C), IV, V, VI, b7 (G)) and use the extra major 3rd and major 7th as sliding ornaments, the way the raga bends them.
  • Approach III from bIII (C) with a quarter-tone-ish curl bend; that in-between third is Kafi's gentleness on guitar.
  • Keep the rhythm lilting and vocal: this raga's home ground is light-classical and folk material, not shredding.
  • Over a two-chord vamp of the A minor tonic and the major chord on the 4th (D), all of Kafi's inflections fit.

How to play A kafi raga on guitar

Open A is the tonic and both E strings sit a perfect fifth above it, so the bottom four strings drone under anything played higher. Roots return at fret 5 on the E strings, 7 on the D and 2 on the G. Open D adds a perfect fourth. Position one ends at fret 9, which means the 5th-fret shape carries you a long way before the first shift.

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