Poonam Patil — Sanskrit, music and spiritual learning
Course

Harmonium

हार्मोनियम

Playing the harmonium for devotional singing — bellows, fingering, the svaras on the keyboard, and accompanying yourself while you sing.

Enrolment open Live online class Adults and children beginning the harmonium, and singers who want to accompany themselves
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हार्मोनियम

Course Overview

The harmonium is the instrument most devotional singing is carried on, and it is far easier to sing steadily when you are playing the note yourself.

The course starts where the instrument starts: the bellows. Steady air is what separates a harmonium that sounds settled from one that wheezes, and it is the first thing worked at. Fingering, the svaras across the keyboard and simple accompaniment follow.

The aim is a learner who can sit at the instrument, find the key that suits their voice, and accompany a bhajan or Stotra without either hand getting in the way of the other.

What You Will Learn

  • Work the bellows evenly, so the tone stays steady through a phrase
  • Find the svaras across the keyboard, and the key that suits your own voice
  • Play with correct fingering rather than one finger at a time
  • Accompany a simple bhajan or Stotra while singing it
  • Play an ascending and descending scale cleanly, at an even pace
  • Practise usefully on your own between sessions

Who Can Join

  • Adults beginning the harmonium from scratch
  • Children beginning the instrument, with a parent present
  • Singers who would like to accompany themselves
  • Learners who play a little by ear and want the fingering corrected

How It Is Taught

  1. 1 The bellows first — steady air before any attention is given to the keys.
  2. 2 The svaras are located on the keyboard and sung as they are played.
  3. 3 Fingering is corrected from the start, since it is far harder to unlearn later.
  4. 4 Each hand is settled separately before the two are brought together.
  5. 5 Singing and playing are joined only once each is comfortable on its own.
  6. 6 Short, specific practice is set for the week between sessions.

Structure of a Class

01 Bellows and posture at the instrument
02 Swara practice, sung and played together
03 Revision of the previous week, with corrections
04 New material: scale, phrase or accompaniment
05 Playing individually, with personal correction
06 Practice guidance for the week ahead

Questions People Ask

Yes — the instrument has to be under your hands to learn it, so a harmonium at home is necessary. Please ask in your enquiry if you would like guidance on what to look for before buying one.

Yes, and it works well. The camera is positioned so the hands and the bellows can both be seen, which is what corrections depend on. Sound quality matters more here than in other classes — a pair of headphones helps a great deal.

No. The svaras are taught by ear and by position on the keyboard. Written notation is introduced only if a learner would like it.

Yes, and most learners do end up doing both. Some take the Basic Vocal course alongside this one; others learn the instrument first and add the singing later. Either way round works.

Classes are conducted live online so that pronunciation can be corrected personally. Practice material is shared to support regular revision between sessions.

Timings and fees are shared directly on enquiry, as they depend on the batch, the learner group and time zones. Please use the enquiry form and you will receive the current details.

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