One lacuna in the scholarship on modal improvisation concerns a type of modal improvisation that could be considered “hybrid” because of its dual emphasis on rhythm and melody. The purpose of this article is to begin to fill this lacuna through a detailed examination of a rhythmic-melodic form of improvisation in South Indian Karnatak music known as svara kalpana. This article explains what svara kalpana is, describes three rhythmic-melodic designs commonly found in svara kalpana, and investigates how U. Shrinivas (1969–2014) used these designs during a concert in 1995.