BRR
Editorial review
BeatRootRaga editorial review.
Articles
Raga Kirwani (Keeravani)
Kirwani is a raga, a musical framework, using C D Eb F G Ab B when Sa, its home note, is C. Heard in concerts, light classical music and film scores, it often suggests longing; listen for Ab rising to B, then C.
Raga Bhoop (Mohanam)
Bhoop, or Bhoopali, is a raga (melodic framework) using Sa, Re, Ga, Pa and Dha; Mohanam shares its notes, but uses Carnatic phrasing and ornaments. An evening raga with a calm, devotional mood, Bhoop is often taught early; hear its character through Ga Re Sa and Dha Pa Ga.
Raga vs scale: what Western musicians get wrong
A raga adds rules for movement, emphasis, identifying phrases and ornamentation to a scale or mode, a scale with a home note. Producers lose its identity when they treat it as a note list, ignore its tuning and phrasing, or let changing chords reshape the melody’s meaning.
What is a ghazal? Structure explained with two BeatRootRaga originals
A ghazal is poetry built from self-contained couplets, or pairs of lines, joined by rhyme and a shared pattern of line length and rhythm. When sung, a returning melody connects the couplets, while repeated lines, melodic changes and pauses give listeners time to hear the meaning.
Taal for beginners: teentaal, keherwa and dadra with clap patterns
A taal is a repeating rhythmic cycle: count 16 beats for teentaal, eight for keherwa, and six for dadra. For teentaal, clap on 1, 5 and 13, wave on 9; for keherwa, clap on 1, wave on 5; for dadra, clap on 1, wave on 4.
Sa Re Ga Ma: sargam explained for beginners
Sa, Re, Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha and Ni are Indian music’s seven basic notes; sargam means singing or writing melodies with these syllables. To read and sing sargam, choose your home Sa, follow the note names and octave marks, and recognise the natural, lowered and raised forms.
Krishna flute music: what bansuri meditation music is and how to listen to it
Krishna flute music usually means music on the bansuri, North India's bamboo flute, named for its association with Krishna in Hindu stories. In a slow piece, listen for held notes, slides and returns to Sa, the home note, against the drone, a steady reference sound.
Raga Hamsadhwani
Hamsadhwani is a five-note raga from the Carnatic tradition, using Sa, Re, Ga, Pa and Ni, or C D E G B with Sa as C. It often opens Carnatic concerts; hear its bright, devotional character by playing the notes over C and G, noticing B resolving to C.
What is a raga? A plain-language guide for listeners
A raga is a melodic framework in Indian classical music for creating pieces and inventing melody during performance. Listen for four things: which notes appear, how the melody moves, where the musician lingers, and which short phrases return.
Pallavi, anupallavi and charanam: the three parts of a Carnatic song
In a typical kriti, the main composed song form of Carnatic (South Indian classical) music, the pallavi is the opening section that returns. The anupallavi is the second section, developing the opening, while the charanam is the concluding section and usually the longest.
How to Mix Vocals
Transform raw recordings into polished, professional vocals using industry-standard techniques for EQ, compression, and spatial effects.
Peak Limiting Guide
Master the art of transparent peak limiting for competitive loudness. Learn advanced techniques for maximizing volume while preserving dynamics and avoiding distortion artifacts.
Mastering Chain Explained
Understand the complete mastering signal chain from input to output. Learn the optimal processing order, plugin choices, and parameter settings used by professional engineers.
Online vs Studio Mastering
Complete comparison of online AI mastering vs traditional studio mastering. Understand the costs, quality, speed, and creative control of each approach.
Spotify Mastering Standards
Complete guide to mastering for Spotify's loudness normalization, streaming quality optimization, and algorithm-friendly techniques that get your music heard by more listeners.
Hip-Hop Mastering Guide
Master the art of hip-hop audio mastering with aggressive compression, sub-bass enhancement, and commercial loudness standards that make your tracks stand out on streaming platforms.
LUFS Guide for Musicians
The complete guide to LUFS measurement, streaming standards, and how to achieve competitive loudness for your music across all platforms.
What is Audio Mastering?
Everything you need to know about audio mastering: from basic concepts to professional techniques used by industry engineers.
How to Release Music on Spotify
You've finished your track. Now it's time to share it with the world. Learn how to get your music on Spotify, Apple Music, and TikTok without a record label.
Mixing vs. Mastering
Every professional track goes through two distinct stages: Mixing (balancing the ingredients) and Mastering (polishing the presentation). Here's how to know which one needs your attention.
Top 5 Free Mastering Tools
Quality mastering shouldn't cost a fortune. We tested the most popular free online mastering services and VSTs to help you choose the best one for your music.
What is Stem Mastering?
Standard mastering works on one file. Stem mastering works on groups. Discover why this middle-ground approach offers the ultimate sonic control.