About

I began learning the Rabab back in 2003, under the tutelage of Ustaad Homayoun Sakhi, but then a lack of practice and moving out of Peshawar made me lose touch with my rabab. While I understood the basics of sargam (musical notations) and could play a tune if written in those, the problem that I faced was that I could not get my hand on Pashto songs broken into sargam.

The solution as always was to get accepted by an Ustaad, and then take it from there. Living in Islamabad, finding an Ustaad was a challenge in itself. Luckily, I found Yar Gul Ustaad, who plays at the Islamabad zoo on the weekends. I have decided to tape my lessons, break them into sargam and make them available online.

The plan is to break down a song into its different parts, for each part we will share a slowed down version of the strumming along with the breakup of the part in terms of sargam. I must warn you that both of us are not that well versed in the identification of surs, so any corrections would be highly appreciated.

Feel free to send in breakdowns of songs in a similar format, and we will share them on the site.

30 Comments (+add yours?)

  1. Noor Raziq
    May 24, 2011 @ 03:27:58

    Dera manana wrora

    Reply

  2. Shahid Khan
    Jun 27, 2011 @ 13:25:35

    I moved to Australia for study three years ago and i went to pakistan to visit my family recently and i bought a rabab and from peshawar with me, i was looking for videos on learning rabab but couldn’t find a good one but ever since i started following your videos, i have improved my rabab skills alot and i play it pretty well now … thanks for uploading the videos and breaking them down into such easy steps … i will try to send you some of the songs that i have learned so far in these three months ….

    Reply

    • Imran Khan
      Jul 03, 2011 @ 06:02:16

      Dir ala Shahid Khan, looking forward to receiving your videos… thanks for the feedback!

      Reply

      • ali
        Jul 04, 2011 @ 20:15:58

        hi imran khan….tnx for sharing these videos…i really appreciate ur efforts…they r really helping me out…i request to plx dnt stop uploading new lesson to dis blog…as normally happens… tnk u so00000000000ooo much… u r gr8 man….thumbss uppp..

  3. ali
    Jul 04, 2011 @ 20:13:33

    plx shahid khan..do post dm as soon as possible..m vry eager to learn rabab….

    Reply

  4. ali
    Jul 04, 2011 @ 20:18:52

    plxxx post new lesson abt pashtoo new song ‘QARAR” i will b very thankful to you…

    Reply

  5. Zaid Ahmad
    Jul 17, 2011 @ 12:17:22

    wow am so happy so saw thiz becaz there is no such source frm wahere we can learn rabab thats realy nice plxxx never ever stop uploading lessons ..

    Reply

  6. ali
    Jul 17, 2011 @ 18:52:36

    waiting 4 new lessonss..:(((

    Reply

  7. waleed hayat
    Jul 18, 2011 @ 19:59:43

    awsum bro thnx thnx for ur help u make it soo easy for me the online lessons are just faboulous to be learned and one more thning bro do upload as much lessons as possible thnx
    ur regardz
    waleed hayat

    Reply

  8. ali
    Jul 22, 2011 @ 19:55:28

    nxtt lesson plxxxx:((((

    Reply

  9. B Singh
    Aug 08, 2011 @ 23:05:31

    Thanks for the info. What Raag are your lessons in? I need to tune my Rabab accordingly.

    Reply

  10. Ali Durani
    Aug 28, 2011 @ 23:38:33

    Salamona,

    i was just watching some youtube video of Rubab and i clicked on your video and then this web. i dont know how to say thanks and how happy i am to find out that i can learn some songs and passibly rubab here. i live in SF. CA. your ustad Humayon Sakhi lives here as well but he dosent teach becuase he is busy with other things i guess.
    anyways this is my first time at your web. thank you soooooo much for giving everyone the appartunity to learn. i am a rubab lover from Afghanistan i used to live in Peshawar in years 98 to 2001 and tried to learn rubab before moving but i didnt learn much in that short time.

    once a gaine thank you soooo much.

    Reply

    • Imran Khan
      Aug 30, 2011 @ 18:27:51

      Ali khana!

      dera manana for all the good things that you have said. It encourages me to post more. My salamoona to Homayun Ustaaz if you ever come across him, not sure if he would remember me :)

      I am really happy you found this site, Rabab remains unappreciated on the internet, and this is a small effort to address that issue. Positive feedback is always very heartening so thanks once again.

      Reply

  11. Ali Durani
    Aug 28, 2011 @ 23:40:29

    this is such a great idea. honistly i dont know how to thank you enough for this.
    i am in love with your web.

    i just took out my rubab after 4 years . i would play rubab everyday from now on. thank you.
    may Alah bless you and your family

    Reply

  12. Ali Durani
    Aug 28, 2011 @ 23:54:02

    i am very new to your web. i was wondering how i can send an email to you.

    Reply

  13. Ghulam Hossain
    Oct 02, 2011 @ 17:55:57

    much respect for what you are doing for sharing Afghan culture to the world. Please keep the great work. thanks

    Reply

  14. Ghulam Hossain
    Oct 03, 2011 @ 04:04:14

    Imran Khan,

    Could you write the SA RI GAM of this song? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e42MHyLhw2A

    I’m a beginner and I am in love with this song, I want to play this song one day.

    Please keep teaching. You don’t know how many people will be benifiting from your lessons. Please keep the great job. Proud of you man!

    Reply

    • Imran Khan
      Oct 04, 2011 @ 16:02:52

      Ghulam Hossaina wrora, we have decided to restrict it to Pashtu songs only, atleast in the beginning, because notations are not available for Pashtu songs…. but since its an indian song, there already is stuff available…

      here is the song in piano notation http://sari-gama.blogspot.com/2008/01/baazigar-oh-baazigar.html

      you need to translate this into swara sargam by using this key http://www.srutiacademy.com/page/Carnatic-Keyboard-Notations.aspx

      try it and let us know how it goes… best of luck! :)

      Reply

      • Ghulam Hossain
        Oct 09, 2011 @ 16:09:51

        Oh I didn’t know that. Thanks for letting me know.

        You are right, we should focus on our own music. I’m glad to hear that.

        looking forward to see more post on your blog.

      • Ghulam Hossain
        Oct 11, 2011 @ 02:05:04

        How about this one, although it’s different but seems nice

  15. Ali Furqan
    Nov 11, 2011 @ 20:51:14

    Great effort by you in making rubab world famous…Kindly upload lessons for song “QARAR”….It’s very popular now a days…..

    Reply

  16. Umar
    Nov 13, 2011 @ 11:53:50

    Great effort……… thanks alot
    its an easy way to learn
    plzzzzzzzzz do more post
    sir if u can post khuber zalmi i will b really thankful
    and i really appreciate you

    Reply

  17. Ali Furqan
    Nov 22, 2011 @ 20:08:31

    still waiting for “QARAAR”….please upload it’s lesson.

    Reply

  18. Qaisar
    Nov 27, 2011 @ 17:11:26

    My prayers are answered today at long last—–Thank you

    Reply

  19. ibad
    Dec 04, 2011 @ 16:55:35

    when will b new song uploaded plzzzzzzzzzzzz

    Reply

  20. saeed ahmad
    Dec 23, 2011 @ 12:17:43

    i am new user and i interst in the rabab plz help me what can i do

    Reply

  21. saeed ahmad
    Dec 23, 2011 @ 12:23:34

    this is my email address
    rifayal90@yahoo.com

    Reply

  22. babar ayub khan
    Feb 08, 2012 @ 18:25:15

    i like ur site verry much and i will be happy if you send me qarra rasha notes in sa re ga on badada_2@yahoo.com

    Reply

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