SURIX Music Academy
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Specialist · Live online · Beginner to Advanced

Online Carnatic Guitar Classes

Make the guitar speak the language of Carnatic music.

Kids and adultsLive 1:1 onlyDetailed correction
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Guitar artist performing with a Carnatic ensemble
Slides, sustain and raga identity on the Carnatic guitar

A Western instrument, a Carnatic voice

A note is more than the fret you touch.

Carnatic guitar is not simply a raga scale played on frets. Each phrase depends on when a note is struck, how it connects, how far it slides or bends, how long it sustains and where it settles in shruti.

SURIX links fretboard fluency to swaras and the chosen Sa, then develops selective picking, slides, slurs, bends, raga grammar, Tala, repertoire and Manodharma together.

FretboardPickingSustainSlidesGamakasShrutiTalaManodharma

Three-stage curriculum

Hear the phrase. Map it. Connect it. Express it.

Every stage connects guitar mechanics with Carnatic listening, phrase architecture, repertoire and creativity.

Beginner · Specialist

Build the guitar technique and Carnatic ear together

For complete beginners, Western guitarists entering Carnatic music, and Carnatic learners transferring their knowledge to guitar.

Live 1:1 from$18per session · core hoursSee complete fees
Repertoire focus

Sarali, Janta and Dhatu Varisais, upper and introductory lower Sthayi work, Alankarams, selected Geethams, Swarajathi material and simple Kritis when ready.

What you will learn

  • Instrument care, posture, relaxed hand position and clean single-note control
  • Map Sa, Ri, Ga, Ma, Pa, Da and Ni across practical fretboard positions
  • Controlled picking, sustain, string crossing and unwanted-string muting
  • Sarali, Janta and Dhatu Varisais, Sthayi exercises and Alankarams
  • Slides, hammer-ons and pull-offs as the first connected Carnatic vocabulary
  • Shruti, Tala, phrase imitation, early gamaka awareness and simple compositions
Progression goal

Play clean single-note exercises in stable Tala, map core swaras, sustain the chosen Sa, control basic slides and slurs, and perform foundational repertoire with growing raga awareness.

Already play guitar or Carnatic music?

Start where your technique and musicianship actually are.

Your trial assesses setup, posture, tension, note clarity, muting, fretboard awareness, shruti, picking, sustain, slides, slurs, bends, repertoire, Tala, raga recognition and Manodharma.

Find my level

Specialist format

Carnatic guitar is taught only as personalised 1:1 study.

The same written swaras can require completely different fingering, string, picking, bend and sustain corrections for each learner.

01

1:1 Carnatic Guitar

Your trainer adapts fretboard routes, picking, sustain, slides, bends, repertoire and Manodharma to your instrument, background and musical goals.

Specialist lessons from$18per session
Why individual attention matters
  • Fingering routes and string choices vary from phrase to phrase
  • Slides and bends need accurate starting and destination pitches
  • Picking must support connected phrasing rather than interrupt it
  • Setup, repertoire and Manodharma need individual pacing
Book a free 1:1 trial
Compare specialist 1:1 fees by level and time.View pricing

More than compositions

Build a complete Carnatic musician on guitar.

Technique, listening and musical understanding turn correct notes into a resonant Carnatic voice.

01

Shruti + Pitch

Land accurately after slides, bends and position changes.

02

Fretboard Fluency

Understand where swaras live instead of depending on isolated tabs.

03

Gamaka + Raga

Use connected movement as raga grammar, not a generic guitar effect.

04

Tala + Repertoire

Build rhythmic independence from exercises through concert forms.

05

Tone + Control

Shape attack, sustain, muting and amplification around the music.

06

Manodharma + Independence

Create, perform and learn future repertoire with a trained ear.

For beginners and younger learners

Start guitar and Carnatic music together.

No previous guitar or vocal training is required. Lessons build comfortable handling, clean sound, swara awareness and listening before adding demanding repertoire.

For guitarists and Carnatic learners

Transfer what you know without starting over.

Western guitarists can develop an authentic Carnatic vocabulary, while vocalists, instrumentalists and returning learners can map existing raga, Tala and repertoire knowledge onto the fretboard.

Your SURIX journey

Six steps from first phrase to independent expression.

  1. 01

    Book a free 1:1 trial

    Meet a specialist trainer and experience how Carnatic phrasing is approached on guitar.

  2. 02

    Get assessed

    Review both your guitar technique and your Carnatic music background.

  3. 03

    Start at the right level

    Begin at Beginner, Intermediate or Advanced based on actual readiness.

  4. 04

    Build your individual plan

    Adapt repertoire, technique and practice goals to your instrument and progress.

  5. 05

    Learn and practise

    Develop fretboard fluency, gamaka, Tala, repertoire and listening through guided work.

  6. 06

    Create and perform

    Move toward Manodharma, independent repertoire building and confident performance.

Student stories

What precise correction can unlock.

Reflections from learners discovering how precise technique can transform Carnatic expression on guitar.

“I could play guitar before, but it never sounded Carnatic.”

I already knew scales and lead guitar, so I assumed Carnatic would just be different notes. The biggest change was learning where not to pick. Once we worked on slides and how a phrase should land, even a simple Geetham started sounding completely different.

Adult Learner · Carnatic Guitar

“The class is very specific to what my hands are actually doing.”

I kept missing the pitch at the end of bends and thought I just needed more practice. My trainer changed the fingering and made me slow down the movement. That one correction made the raga phrase much cleaner.

Intermediate Carnatic Guitar Student

“He already played Western guitar, but this made him listen differently.”

My son was comfortable with chords and songs before joining. Carnatic guitar has made him pay much more attention to pitch, Tala and how each note connects to the next. He now practises phrases slowly instead of only trying to play faster.

Parent of a Carnatic Guitar Student

Frequently asked questions

Before your first phrase.

Practical answers about the instrument, online study, repertoire and progression.

Your Carnatic Guitar journey can start here

A familiar guitar can become a new Carnatic voice.

Hear the phrase. Map the swaras. Connect every note. Make the raga speak.

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