10 Alankars Every Harmonium Student Must Practice
Alankars are the gym workout of harmonium practice. These 10 patterns will build your fingers' speed, independence, and accuracy.
What Are Alankars?
The word alankar comes from Sanskrit, meaning "ornament" or "that which decorates." In musical practice, alankars are systematic, repeating patterns that move through the notes of a scale in a fixed sequence. They are the core of daily riyaaz (practice) in Indian classical music.
Unlike Western scales, alankars are not merely ascending and descending runs — they explore different combinations of consecutive and non-consecutive notes, preparing you for the real musical movements you'll encounter in ragas and compositions.
How to Practice Alankars Effectively
The quality of your alankar practice determines the quality of your playing. Follow these principles:
- Extremely slow is not slow enough — beginners consistently practice too fast. If you can play it comfortably at 80 BPM, your practice tempo should be 50–60 BPM.
- Even dynamics — every note should be the same volume. This is harder than it sounds and reveals finger weakness.
- Sing along — vocalize the swara names while playing. This builds ear-hand coordination.
- Both hands matter — left hand (bellows) should maintain steady air flow. Uneven bellows pumping creates uneven sound.
- Daily consistency beats marathon sessions — 20 minutes of alankar daily beats 2 hours on weekends.
The 10 Essential Alankars
S R G M P D N S̈
The plain ascending scale. Foundation of everything. Even beginners must return to this regularly.
S̈ N D P M G R S
The plain descending scale. Often neglected but equally important.
SR RG GM MP PD DN NS̈
Two-note ascending groups. Builds smooth note transitions.
S̈N ND DP PM MG GR RS
Two-note descending groups.
SRG RGM GMP MPD PDN DNá¹
Three-note ascending groups. Critical for speed development.
S̈ND NDP DPM PMG MGR GRS
Three-note descending groups.
SRGM RGMP GMPD MPDÂN PDNS̈
Four-note groups. Most beneficial for intermediate players.
S G R M G P M D P N D S̈
Alternating skip pattern. Trains non-adjacent finger movement.
SRS RGR GMG MPM PDN
Forward-backward turn patterns. Essential for musical ornaments.
S á¹ R Ṙ G Ä M á¹€ P á¹– D Ḋ N Ṅ
Same swara in consecutive octaves. Builds position awareness.
Building a Riyaaz Schedule Around Alankars
Here's a practical 30-minute riyaaz structure for intermediate students:
- 0–5 min: Warm up — slow ascent and descent (Alankars 1 & 2)
- 5–15 min: Current alankar focus — pick 2–3 and drill them
- 15–20 min: Apply alankars within a raga framework
- 20–30 min: Song or composition practice
🎹 Practice these alankars right now on our web harmonium. Use keys A S D F G H J K for the white keys of the octave. Open Practice Tool →