The On-Screen Keyboard
Web Harmonium has 24 on-screen keys covering two displayed octaves, C3 through B4. The white and black keys follow the same repeating 12-note layout as a piano or physical harmonium. This browser version is a compact practice tool; physical harmoniums vary in range, key count, action, and reed configuration.
By default, C is treated as Sa. The white-key pattern is:
| Western note | Sargam | Function |
|---|---|---|
| C | Sa | Tonic |
| D | Re | Shuddh Rishabh |
| E | Ga | Shuddh Gandhar |
| F | Ma | Shuddh Madhyam |
| G | Pa | Pancham |
| A | Dha | Shuddh Dhaivat |
| B | Ni | Shuddh Nishad |
The five black-key positions are C# (komal Re), D# (komal Ga), F# (tivra Ma), G# (komal Dha), and A# (komal Ni). Use the Notation control to switch the visible labels between sargam and Western note names.
Exact QWERTY Mapping
The computer-keyboard shortcuts run from left to right across the two displayed octaves.
White keys
| Note | C3 | D3 | E3 | F3 | G3 | A3 | B3 | C4 | D4 | E4 | F4 | G4 | A4 | B4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Key | backtick | Q | W | E | R | T | Y | U | I | O | P | [ | ] | \ |
Black keys
| Note | C#3 | D#3 | F#3 | G#3 | A#3 | C#4 | D#4 | F#4 | G#4 | A#4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Key | 1 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 9 | - | = | on-screen only |
The final A#4 key has no QWERTY shortcut, but it remains playable with the mouse or touch keyboard. Pressing multiple mapped keys together plays a chord.
Setting Sa with Transpose
Sa is relative in Indian music. Use Transpose to shift the sounding pitch in semitone steps while keeping the same visual fingering pattern. For example, setting Sa to D raises every sounding note by two semitones from the default C position. The note labels and physical key layout stay in place; the audio pitch changes.
Use this control to match a comfortable singing range. It is not the same as moving your hand to a different on-screen key.
Octave, Reeds, and Sound Controls
- Octave moves the sounding register up or down without changing the 24-key layout.
- Reeds adds octave layers to the sampled sound.
- Reverb adds room ambience.
- Sustain keeps notes sounding after release until Sustain is turned off.
- Volume changes output level.
These controls approximate useful practice functions, but they do not reproduce the bellows response, reed interaction, or key feel of a physical harmonium.
First Practice Exercise
- With Transpose set to C and Octave set to 3, play Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni Sa’ using backtick, Q, W, E, R, T, Y, U.
- Descend with Sa’ Ni Dha Pa Ma Ga Re Sa using U, Y, T, R, E, W, Q, backtick.
- Repeat slowly until the note order is reliable.
- Change Transpose to D and repeat the same fingering. Listen for the higher pitch while noticing that the key pattern is unchanged.
- Switch Notation to Western and confirm the note names for the same keys.
Next Steps
- Finger Placement Guide — simple fingering patterns for this layout
- Reading Swaralipi — understand note and octave symbols
- Raga Bilawal — practice an all-shuddh scale
- Song Exercises — follow short interactive sargam excerpts
- Play Web Harmonium — open the instrument