Francis Manakkil
After preparing my first book, 72 Music scales for Composers and Guitar Improvisers, I felt the need of presenting a book on Indian Ragas. The approach was to enlist them in the order of seventy-two scales in book one. I expect my reader be more comfortable to follow this book as a portrayal of the first book in organization of sections and chapters. This will hopefully help the study of scales and their motives progress hand in hand. The name of the book two is 4000+ Motives and Harmonic Deviations.Compromises are done in this book, such as the detail of the parent scale including transposition to twelve keys, guitar position studies, and care limited to book one. Basic progressions of the scale are followed in the second book with exemptions. Ragas are arranged in alphabetical order under each scale and section. Pentatonic and hexatonic variations are separately detailed.Music notation, chord progression, and modified Indian solfeggio are displayed on each motif. Alternative chord choices could be done from the list of chords available in each scale in any desired key or scale degree.The second book remains larger since it covers a list of motives, which is almost 4,347. Some motives have variations, and they are enlisted too. For convenience of handling, the second book is prepared in two volumes. Every effort is made to limit the book to a reasonable size, not compromising on the readability of each page. Too much elaboration on harmony is avoided, leaving that part to the experts. Basic chord progressions discussed on each scale in book one is adapted into the motives that appear under them. The harmonic progression is subjective affair; I humbly leave alternative chord progressions to maestros of music. 3
