This guide will teach you how to use common macros in LaTeX to beautifully typeset Hindustani music notation in Vishnu Digambar and Bhaktande Paddhati.

Prerequisites

This guide assumes that you already know how to write LaTeX fluently and that you have somewhere to either write KaTeX or LaTeX and compile it. I will include alternatives for syntax that are unsupported by both so you can follow along.

Teentaal Tatkar in LaTeX

\[\underset{X}{} \undergroup{ta} \space \undergroup{thei} \space \undergroup{thei}\space \undergroup{tat} \space \vert \space \underset{2}{} \undergroup{aa} \space \undergroup{thei} \space \undergroup{thei}\space \undergroup{tat} \space \vert \underset{0}{} \undergroup{ta} \space \undergroup{thei} \space \undergroup{thei}\space \undergroup{tat} \space \vert \space \underset{3}{} \undergroup{aa} \space \undergroup{thei} \space \undergroup{thei}\space \undergroup{tat} \vert\]

As you can see here, LaTeX is handy for quickly formatting and writing music notation in Bhaktande Paddhati.

Here’s what this looks like in plain ASCII text:

\underset{X}{} \undergroup{ta} \space \undergroup{thei} \space \undergroup{thei}\space 
\undergroup{tat} \space \vert \space  \underset{2}{} \undergroup{aa} \space \undergroup{thei} 
\space \undergroup{thei}\space \undergroup{tat} \space  \vert \space \underset{0}{} 
\undergroup{ta} \space \undergroup{thei} \space \undergroup{thei}\space \undergroup{tat} 
\space \vert \space \underset{3}{} \undergroup{aa} \space \undergroup{thei} \space 
\undergroup{thei}\space \undergroup{tat} \vert

Thankfully, none of the characters required in Vishnu-Digambar Padhati require external LaTeX packages and can be rendered with KaTeX-MathJax, which makes this perfect for blogs and websites!

Bhaktande Padhati

Let’s break this down into the individual elements.

1. Beat: We can use \undergroup{args} in LaTeX and \underparen in KaTeX to draw an arc underneath something that is one beat. Use \text{} to format your text regularly.

\undergroup{\text{this is one beat}}

\[\undergroup{\text{this is one beat}}\]

1. Breaks: Use a regular - from keyboard input or S to indicate silence.
2. Divisions/Vibhags: Use \vert to create a vertical line, use \Vert to indicate the end of a composition
3. Group labels: If you want to label the start of a group in a taal, you can use \underset on an empty group. We can also use \underset on the \undergroup group to label the beat.

\vert \underset{X}{} \underset{1}{\undergroup{\text{sa re ga}}} ~ \vert\vert

\[\vert \underset{X}{} \underset{1}{\undergroup{\text{sa re ga}}} ~ \Vert\]

For labeling the beat, ensure the second argument of your \underset{} is the \undergroup{} group.

Some other formatting notes: It’s helpful to the reader to introduce line breaks in your composition. You can use the newline flag \newline or two backslashes \\ to create a new line in LaTeX.

\\ \text{this is a line. } 
\text{indenting won't put you on a new line.}
\\ \text{this is another line} 
\newline\text{or this is another line}

\(\\ \text{this is a line. } \text{indenting won't put you on a new line.} \\ \text{this is another line} \\ \text{or this is another line}\)

Also, in LaTeX math mode, characters are spaced as if they were part of a single word, regardless of the number of times you space in between. You can use ~ or \space to create a space between two expressions.

The above is enough to start writing notation for dance compositions; however, we require more notation for music compositions. Thankfully, this can also be done with KaTeX/LaTeX.

1. Komal/Flat Notes: use \underline{} to designate flat notes. Here is Thaat Bhairav Aroh to demonstrate the formatting.

   \text{Bhairav Aroh: }sa ~ \underline{re} ~ ga ~ ma ~ pa ~ \underline{dha} ~ ni ~ sa
   

   \(\text{Bhairav Aroh: }sa ~ \underline{re} ~ ga ~ ma ~ pa ~ \underline{dha} ~ ni ~ sa\)

2. Tivra/Sharp Notes: You can use \stackrel{}{} or just a regular tic mark, whatever you prefer aesthetically.

   \stackrel{\text{'}}{re} \text{or } re'
   

   \[\stackrel{\text{'}}{re} \text{or } re'\]
3. Octaves: Use \stackrel{}{} to put a dot above or below the note. Or you can use exponents and subscripts with a carat ^ or underscore _. This part is also dependent on what you prefer.

   \text{[Stackrel] } \text{Low Sa: }\stackrel{\text{sa}}{.} ~ \text{High Sa:} \stackrel{.}{\text{sa}}\\ \text{[Sub and Superscripts] } \text{Low Sa: }  ~ \text{sa}_. ~ \text{High sa:} ~ \text{sa}^.
   

   \[\text{[Stackrel] } \text{Low Sa: }\stackrel{\text{sa}}{.} ~ \text{High Sa:} \stackrel{.}{\text{sa}} \\ \text{[Sub and Superscripts] } \text{Low Sa: } ~ \text{sa}_. ~ \text{High sa:} ~ \text{sa}^.\]

Vishnu Digambar Padhati

In Vishnu Digambar, each beat has additional clarity on whether the syllables are 1/2 beat, 1/4 beat, and so on. Nesting \undergroup{} should help you express this.

\text{[dogun] }\undergroup{\undergroup{\text{sa re}}}
\text{ [tigun] }\undergroup{\undergroup{\undergroup{\text{sa re ga}}}}
\text{ [chaugun] }\undergroup{\undergroup{\undergroup{\undergroup{\text{sa re ga ma}}}}}

\[\text{ [dogun] }\undergroup{\undergroup{\text{sa re}}} \text{ [tigun] }\undergroup{\undergroup{\undergroup{\text{sa re ga}}}} \text{ [chaugun] }\undergroup{\undergroup{\undergroup{\undergroup{\text{sa re ga ma}}}}}\]

Feedback

Did you find this guide helpful? Do you have any corrections or suggestions? Feel free to comment below.