Web Harmonium
Guide
How to Play Harmonium Online
This web harmonium guide covers the practical path for beginners: unlock sound, learn the harmonium keyboard notes, read Sargam, keep Sa steady with a shruti box, and move into raga or song practice.
Quick start
Open the web harmonium play page and tap the unlock button first, or press any harmonium key so the browser can start sound. After that, use the visible keys on mobile, the mapped laptop keys on desktop, or a connected MIDI keyboard in a browser that supports WebMIDI.
Harmonium keyboard notes
The harmonium keyboard maps to your QWERTY layout: e = Sa (C4), r = Re, t = Ga, y = Ma, u = Pa, i = Dha, o = Ni, p = upper Sa. Number keys play the komal and tivra variants. Each key shows both the Western note name and the Sargam syllable.
Sargam notes for beginners
Sargam is the Indian solfege system: Sa, Re, Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, Ni. Start by playing Sa Re Ga Ma Pa slowly, then return to Sa without looking away from the keyboard. When that feels stable, move to harmonium song notes and practise one phrase at a time.
Controls
Volume, transpose, octave, and reverb all update the virtual harmonium immediately and stay saved in local storage for the next visit. Use transpose to shift the harmonium tuning — for example, set transpose to +2 to play in D instead of C.
Use a shruti box, tuner, and song notes
For pitch practice, start the online shruti box before you play so Sa stays steady in your ear. Use the Sargam tuner to check whether your voice or instrument is landing near the right note, then apply the same pitch center to the harmonium song notes.
A 15-minute beginner practice session
- Minutes 0–2: start the shruti box and sing Sa three times. Do not move on until each Sa feels comfortable rather than forced.
- Minutes 2–5: play Sa Re Ga Ma and return Ma Ga Re Sa. Use an even pulse and keep the wrist level.
- Minutes 5–9: choose one changed note, such as komal Ga or tivra Ma. Compare it with the natural note before placing it in a scale.
- Minutes 9–13: learn one short song phrase. Stop at the first mistake, isolate two or three notes, then restore the complete phrase.
- Minutes 13–15: record one uninterrupted take and listen once. Write down a single correction for tomorrow instead of trying to fix everything at once.
Five mistakes that slow beginners down
- Starting too high: lower Sa if the voice tightens or the upper notes need pushing.
- Playing before hearing: sing or hum the destination note before searching for it on the keyboard.
- Using too much reverb: practise dry first so uneven attacks and wrong notes remain easy to hear.
- Repeating the whole song: repair the smallest failing phrase, then put it back into context.
- Changing several controls at once: keep transpose, octave, and drone fixed until the exercise is complete.
Explore a raga
Pick a raga below. The scale gets highlighted on the keyboard when you return to the play page, and non-scale keys fade out so you can explore the mode. Assumes Sa = C.