Raga identifier

How it finds the raga

1. It follows the melody’s pitch through the recording, one reading every 20 milliseconds.
2. It keeps only the notes that are held, steady for at least an eighth of a second. Glides and quick ornaments pass through notes a raga does not rest on, so they are left out.
3. It finds Sa, the note everything is measured from: the most sustained pitch, with Pa or Ma to confirm it. You can set Sa yourself if the performer’s key is different.
4. It measures how long each of the twelve notes was held, and compares that with 40 common Hindustani ragas: which of each raga’s notes were heard, which were not, and whether any note the raga leaves out was sung.

Why two ragas can come out together

Some ragas share exactly the same notes. Bhupali and Deshkar both use Sa Re Ga Pa Dha; Marwa, Puriya and Sohini share their notes too. What separates them is phrasing: which notes are stressed, the order they come in, and how each one is approached. This page measures notes, not phrasing, so it names ragas like these together rather than pretend to choose.

For the best result

• Use a recording of one voice or one instrument. A tanpura drone helps: it makes Sa and Pa clear.
• Use at least a minute of the alap or a slow section, where notes are held.
• If Sa looks wrong, tap the right key: every figure is measured again from there.