श्रुति

Shruti

The microtonal intervals of Indian music, traditionally numbered at 22 within an octave.

Theory

Description

Shruti refers to the microtonal intervals that form the foundation of Indian musical intonation. Traditionally, 22 shrutis are described within an octave, providing a more refined pitch vocabulary than the 12 semitones of Western equal temperament. The concept of shruti explains why the same swara name can be intoned slightly differently in different raags, and why precise intonation is so important in raag performance.

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