Dhun
Alouette
Here is Alouette written the way we write a tune on the board in class: the rhythm on top, the scale degree under it, then the swara. 1 is Sa, an apostrophe after a number takes it up an octave (5’) and a comma in front takes it down (,5). Read it, sing it, and you have the song in every key at once.
- 4/4
- Major
- 4 bars
- 19 notes
- Free to use
Read it in three languages
Scale degrees
1 2 3 3 2 1 2 3 1 ,5 1 2 3 3 2 1 2 3 1Swaras (sargam)
s r g g r s r g s ,p s r g g r s r g sMovable-do solfège
do re mi mi re do re mi do ,so do re mi mi re do re mi doA line under a swara means it is komal (flattened).
Alouette note names, key by key
The numbers never change. Only the letters do. That is the whole point of learning a tune by its degrees.
| Key | Notes |
|---|---|
| C major | C D E E D C D E C G C D E E D C D E C |
| G major | G A B B A G A B G D G A B B A G A B G |
| D major | D E F# F# E D E F# D A D E F# F# E D E F# D |
| F major | F G A A G F G A F C F G A A G F G A F |
The app has all twelve keys, and it will also turn this tune into natural minor, harmonic minor, Dorian, Mixolydian or Mayamalavagowla while you listen.
The Joker’s clue: “A cheerful French song about plucking a small bird, one body part at a time.”
How to practise it
- Guess it by reading. Sing the numbers in your head before you play a single note.
- Hear it. Play it back and check whether what you sang matches what it does.
- Play it in all twelve keys. Same numbers, twelve sets of letters.
- Write it out. In each key, name every note. That is when it sticks.