A Todi Raga Cavaquinho Scale
Cavaquinho scale — fretboard diagramAdvanced
A Todi Raga Scale — Notes and Intervals
The A Todi Raga scale is a meditative morning Raga from the Indian classical tradition. On Cavaquinho, its notes are A, Bb, C, D#, E, F, G#. It is associated with deep reflection and philosophical contemplation, using its unique notes to evoke a mood of gentle, serious introspection. Commonly used in Indian Classical, World, Meditation, Film Scores. Notable players include Ravi Shankar, Nikhil Banerjee. Traditionally used over a drone (tanpura). In Western harmony, try over sustained root notes or minimal chord changes.
Notes: A, Bb, C, D#, E, F, G#
Intervals: 1P, 2m, 3m, 4A, 5P, 6m, 7M
Degrees: 1 b2 b3 #4 5 b6 7
Formula: H-W-WH-H-H-WH-H
Number of notes: 7
Musical Character
A morning raga associated with deep philosophical contemplation. In the Indian system, specific ragas are tied to times of day — Todi is for the hours of introspection at dawn.
Genres & Notable Artists
Genres: Indian Classical, World, Meditation, Film Scores
Notable players: Ravi Shankar, Nikhil Banerjee
How to Use the A Todi Raga Scale
Traditionally used over a drone (tanpura). In Western harmony, try over sustained root notes or minimal chord changes.
Origin & Background
One of the ten fundamental thaats (parent scales) in North Indian classical music. Associated with dawn and philosophical contemplation.
How to Play A Todi Raga on Cavaquinho
Begin by locating A on your instrument and play through the 7 notes of the Todi Raga scale slowly, ensuring each note rings clearly before increasing speed.
The A Todi Raga scale contains both sharps and flats (2 sharps, 1 flat), which is common in altered and exotic scales. This scale does not follow a traditional major or minor key signature, so reading from sheet music may require accidentals.
Practice Routine
Set a metronome to 100 BPM and play the A Todi Raga scale in groups of four notes, shifting the starting note each repetition. This builds muscle memory across the entire scale range. After a week, try improvising short 4-bar phrases using only these notes.
Exotic scales like the Todi Raga often work best as a melodic layer over a single root drone on A. Let the unique intervals speak for themselves without frequent chord changes. This scale is especially effective in film scores contexts.
Cavaquinho Tips
Practice the A Todi Raga scale slowly and evenly on your instrument, focusing on tone quality for each of the 7 notes before building speed. Aim for a meditative quality in your phrasing to match the natural character of this scale.
Related Scales
The A Todi Raga scale contains 7 notes (A, Bb, C, D#, E, F, G#). Use the interactive fretboard above to explore this scale on Cavaquinho with different tunings and fret ranges.
CAGED Positions & Patterns for A Todi Raga
The A Todi Raga scale can be played in 5 CAGED positions across the fretboard, each based on an open chord shape (C, A, G, E, D). As a 7-note scale, it also lends itself to 3-notes-per-string (3NPS) patterns that facilitate legato playing and diagonal shifting. Use the pattern selector above to isolate each position.
Explore A Todi Raga Further
- Browse chord progressions
- A Todi Raga on Guitar
- A Todi Raga on Ukulele
- A Todi Raga on Bass
- A Todi Raga on Piano