Overview
Play harmonium by ear using North Indian and Western notation systems., Build and apply scale and chord formulas for kirtan and meditation music., Recognize the sound and mood of notes to create hypnotic kirtan melodies., Confidently play and sing any kirtan tune with melodies, chords, scales, and rhythm., Master alankars, ragas, and ear-training to improvise in devotional settings., Lead or support kirtan with confidence in yoga classes, temples, or gatherings.
Kirtan enthusiasts, yoga teachers, and spiritual seekers wanting to learn harmonium., Beginners in Indian or Western music who want to play by ear with confidence., Devotees and musicians who want to accompany kirtan, bhajans, or mantra meditation., Hare Krishna practitioners who want to deepen their Sankirtan service and musical devotion., Anyone interested in connecting music, meditation, and spirituality through harmonium.
No prior music knowledge required—perfect for beginners and kirtan lovers., Access to a harmonium or keyboard with harmonium setting is recommended.
Do you want to learn how to play harmonium by ear so you can join kirtans, bhajans, and yoga chants with confidence? This course is designed for complete beginners and spiritual seekers who want to make music a living part of their devotion.
In this step-by-step program, you’ll learn both North Indian (Sa Re Ga Ma) and Western notation, how to understand scales and chords, and how to recognize the emotional sound qualities of each note. You’ll also discover how to train your ear, so you can hear a melody once and reproduce it on the harmonium.
By the end of this course, you’ll be able to:
Play melodies and chords by ear without needing sheet music.
Master common kirtan chord progressions and bhajan structures.
Learn classic Hare Krishna Maha Mantra tunes used in sankirtan.
Accompany yoga classes, meditation sessions, or temple programs.
Develop confidence to play any chant, mantra, or song on harmonium.
Whether you are a yoga teacher, Hare Krishna devotee, Amma follower, Hindu bhakta, or simply a music lover, this course will guide you into the heart of bhakti music. The harmonium is not just an instrument—it’s a gateway to devotion, community, and meditation.
Enroll today, and begin your journey to play any kirtan song by ear with confidence and devotion.
UPDATE: I just added a 200+ page book (PDF version) to the course that I wrote that was just published through KDP Book Agency on Amazon.
Chandra Dhopatkar
Chandra Dhopatkar (Chandra-Vadana Chaitanya das) is a kirtan artist and educator passionate about making devotional music accessible to all. With 20+ years of experience leading workshops and retreats, he's helped hundreds of students play kirtan with joy—not perfection. His "Instant Kirtan" method breaks down barriers so anyone can create sacred music anywhere.
His "How to Play Harmonium by Ear" course teaches exactly that, plus much more. You'll learn music theory, both North Indian notation and Western notation --and, Chandra teaches both melody and chords and shares so much insight into both Indian and Western music styles. You'll enjoy his laid-back, honest, well-structured teaching style. He's always accessible and might well become your favorite teacher.