The word sruti refers to both the philosophical context of 'that which is revealed through the oral tradition i.e. the Upanishads and other great texts and also 'sound that is heard without reverberation'. There are believed to be twenty-two srutis in an octave, a sruti being a micro-tone (smaller than a semi-tone).

At the heart of classical music are the seven notes (swaras) comprising the Saptak: Shadja (Sa) with four srutis, Rishab (Re or Ri) with three srutis, Gandhar (Ga), with two srutis, Madhyam (Ma) with four srutis, Pancham (Pa) with four srutis, Dhaivat (Dha) with three srutis, and Nishad (Ni) with two srutis. The eighth note is known as the tar shadja - it repeats the sound of the first note at a different octave, and is denoted by S°a. This system applies to the other notes as well. These are the shuddha (pure) notes.

According to the Sangita Ratnakar, the pitch of the seven notes resembles the calls of certain birds and animals. Sa resembles the peafowl's cry; Re (or Ri), the cataka bird's cry; Ga, the goat's sound; Ma, the kraunka bird's call; Pa, the woodpecker's call; Dha resembles the call of a frog in love, and Ni, the sound made by an elephant when it is hit with the mahaut's (elephant handler/driver) hook.

Vikrit (altered) notes are interpolations: softer versions of some pure notes that, on a musical key, would be placed in the space between them. Sa and pa are known as achal (fixed) notes; i.e. they do not have vikrit forms.

Shuddha swaras (pure notes) Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni
Vikrit swaras (altered notes) Re Ga Mâ Dha
Ni Achal swaras (fixed notes) Sa Pa

The altered forms (Vikrit swara) of Rishab, Gandhara, Dhaivat and Nishad are known as komal swaras (soft/flat notes) to distinguish them from the pure form that is known also as the tivra (sharp) form. An exception is the pure form of Madhyam - it is not known as tivra because the pure form itself can move from its position on the scale.

The note Sa corresponds to the C of western music, and is regarded as the tonic (there may well be another note as tonic, but Sa is usually so). Other notes are considered in light of their relationship with it. Ma and pa are seen as being perfectly compatible with it, while Dha and Ga are much less compatible with Sa. Re, Ni, Dha and Mâ are least compatible with it.

See also: Thăt & Raga

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