MUSIC INSTRUMENTS

                          MUSIC INSTRUMENTS USED IN INDIA

The musical instruments have their own importance in the field of music. The various musical instruments of India have contributed immensely in making Indian music famous. Some of these instruments are used in Hindustani classical music that belongs to the North and some are used in Carnatic music that belongs to the south of India. The Indian musical instruments are of various types. Some are stringed instruments, some are percussion instruments and some are wind blown instruments. The music created by the instruments when played is absolutely melodious and is often used to relax the mind and the senses.

 

  Flute

                                                                   
Flute is a musical instrument that belongs to the woodwind family and produces a sweet sound. A person who plays the flute is known as a flautist or a flutist. A flute produces sound only when a stream of air is blown through it, which bounces in and out of its numerous holes.

Tambura

 Tambura is an Indian music instrument, which is known by the name of tanpura in North India. It is unfretted and round-bodied, with a hollow neck and four or five (rarely six) wire strings. The strings of the tambura are plucked one after another in a standard pattern, in order to create a tonic resonance field Hindustani classical music.

Veena

Veena, also known as Saraswati Veena is a musical instrument of South India. This classical instrument is basically a plucked stringed instrument that is used to accompany Carnatic music. It is essentially a member of the lute family. The Veena has been modified and refined over centuries and has been used since ancient times.

The Violin is not a traditional musical instrument of India. The history of violin does not originate in India. It emerged in its current form in Italy during the 16th century. It was imported from the West and was used with south Indian classical music for the first time during the 18th century.

Tabla

                                                             



The Tabla is an Indian percussion instrument, which dates back to the times of Persian Muslims. Actually, Tabla forms a major instrument of Indian music. The instrument used to be the part of Classical and Hindustani music, but today it is adding to the flavor of every kind of music, especially jazz.

Sitar

The sitar is often referred as a plucked stringed instrument. The Sitar has delicate strings along with a gourd reverberating hollow generating a rich sound. The great poet, musician and statesman, Amir Khusrau is generally accredited for conceiving Sitar during Khilji period.

Shehnai

The shehnai is a popular musical instrument in India and falls in the category of aero phonic instruments. Shehnai is believed to bring good luck that is why in North Indian marriages and processions Shenani is predominantly played. Shehnai is a tube-like instrument that gradually widens towards its lower end.

Nagaswaram

Nadaswaram is a very famous classical instrument played mainly in the southern states of India. The world's loudest non-brass acoustic instrument, Nadaswaram is also known as Nadhaswaram and Nagaswaram. It is a wind instrument, which is quite similar in its appearance to the North Indian musical instrument, Shehnai.

sarod

The sarod is a popular Indian classical musical instrument. Sarod is similar to the Western lute in structure. It is one of the most important musical instruments amongst followers and connoisseurs of Hindustani classical music. According to many scholars the source of the Sarod seems to be the rebab, a similar instrument that is said to have originated in Afghanistan and Kashmir. It is believed that the sarod is essentially a bass rebab.

sarangi1

Sarangi is a bowed string instrument typical of Indian subcontinent. Sarangi forms an important string instrument in Hindustani school of classical music tradition. It is said that of all Indian instruments, Sarangi resembles most to the sound of the human voice. The origin of the name Sarangi is very interesting as the word Sarangi has been derived from two Hindi words- sau (which means 100) and rang (color).

Santoor

The santoor is a trapezoid-shaped musical instrument. Santoor is usually made of walnut, with numerous strings and is said to be related to the shata-tantri veena of earlier times. A lightweight wooden hammer, used to play the santoor/ santur, is known as Mezrab. To play the Santoor, these mallets (mezrab) are held between the index and middle fingers.

mridangam

Mridangam is a classical percussion instrument much popular in South India. Mridangam is the main instrument that provides rhythm to Carnatic music performances. Mridangam is also known by the name of mridanga, mrdangam, mrudangam and mrithangam. .…

Gettuvadyam

Gettuvadyam is also known as Getchu vadyam or Gethu vadyam. It is a very rare instrument which is played in Southern part of India. Gettuvadyam is 2-3 feet long and is like a hammered lute. The Getchu Vadyam is like tambura which is supported at the neck and has four strings. Sometimes, it is used as the secondary instrument accompanying Mridangam.

Chenda

Chenda is a cylindrical instrument widely popular in Kerala and some parts of Karnataka state of India. It is a percussion instrument and is also called Chende in Karnataka. Chenda usually accompanies Hindu religious art forms of Kerala. As mentioned above Chenda is used as accompaniment for Kathakali and Koodiyattam dances and rituals in Kerala.

 Pakhawak

The Pakhawak was most well-known northern Indian double skin drum that is used especially for accompanying the old northern Indian Dhrupad style, is the Pakhawaj (simlar to the Mridangam in southern India). The quality of the high-pitched skin is quite similar to that of the Tabla. It is also made of different layers. The Pakhawaj is also tuned like the Tabla with wooden wedges that are placed under the tautening straps. The fine tuning is done on the woven outer ring which is part of the skin. The bass skin is traditionally prepared for playing by a batter of flour and water which is freshly applied each time in order to receive its low-pitched sound.

Surbaha

The Surbahar which is usually tuned a fourth lower than the Sitar, could be called a bass Sitar. Consequently, the Surbahar is significantly longer than a Sitar and also has a wider neck. The full, low sound is especially effective in the quiet, meditative Alap. Also in Dhrupad style its sound pattern is unmatched. Contrary to Sitars, Surbahars are less standardized and are thus available on the market in lots of different sizes and shapes and with different features and decorations. This supports, together with the particular sound pattern, the special individual aura that is attached to this instrument and thus makes it an instrument for individualists and for enthusiasts of special instruments.

Harmonium

The Harmonium is an instrument that is indispensable in India and that is used in the religious field, in classical music, in folklore and for playing within the family. It owes its popularity mainly to its easy handling. The Harmonium can be compared in its functioning to the accordeon. Air is pumped into an enclosed space by means of bellows. With a keyboard it is possible to open specially defined holes, through which the pumped air is then pressed. The reeds attached to the openings (double, triple or quadruple reeds) are set vibrating and so produce the desired note.

Shrutibox

The Shrutibox, also called Surpeti, produces a sustained and resonant drone. This instrument is very easy to handle and requires hardly any playing skills. It is mainly used for accompanying singing (overtone singing, chanting etc.). Its functioning is very similar to the Harmonium, however it does not have a keyboard. On both sides of the instrument bellows can be released. The top of the opened bellows is pumped by hand. Inside the instrument, air is pressed through metal reeds which are set vibrating by this. They produce the appropriate sound when the corresponding valve on the outside of the instrument ( the white levers) has been opened. 12 chromatic notes of an octave can be selected by opening the valves and thus make the adjustment to the singing voice possible. For a beautiful, sonorous sound it is recommended to select also the corresponding fifth of the basic note or the lower fourth. But you can also choose any combination of chords you like. When playing the note C the octave is achieved by opening the 13th valve.

For playing, the two bellows that are concealed at the front and the back face of the instrument, have to be released. After that, the valves have to be released or opened by turning the white levers sideways. In doing this, a single drone or, by combining them, full chords can be produced. The pair of bellows that is opening out at the top, is continuously pumped with one hand by which air gets through the body of the instrument and into the second pair of bellows. While doing this, the tone that you have defined by opening the valves, is resonating. You can control the volume a little by pumping more gently or more strongly. Because of the easy handling, you can play the instrument in any desired position, even while walking. You can run a shoulder strap through the upper handle of the instrument.

Ektara

Ek means "one" and Tar means"string". The Ektar or -as it is often called - the Gopi Yantra, is a simple instrument that is mainly used in Bengal as a folk instrument. In some places this instrument is offered in souvenir shops in a very cheap qualitiy. The quality offered by us is much better than that.

The Ektara has a spherical resonator made of dried pumpkin, wood or coconut to which a split bamboo cane is attached as a neck. Into an opening at the bottom of the resonator a piece of leather is set and to this a string is attached. This string runs through the inside of the spherical resonator and between the forks of the bamboo cane up to the top end of the neck and is wrapped around a peg there. The string of the Ektara is plucked with one finger, the pitch can be changed continually downwards by more and more pressing the two halves of the neck together. Thus the keynote here is the highest note of the open string.

Swarmandal

  
The Swarmandal mainly serves to accompany female singers in India who stroke the open strings with their fingers, similar to harp playing, especially when they want to bridge short intervals. The Swarmandal is tuned to the respective pitch. The Swarmandal on offer from TARANG is stringed with 30 strings. Its body is similar to the zither that is well-known in Bavaria.

Sursringar

The Sursringar is a further beautiful instrument which is almost extinct nowadays. Its neck with a metal fingerboard reminds of the Sarod and somehow one can say its a bass Sarod. In Dhrupad style it was used as a solo instrument in the 19th and 20th centuries. It is regarded as a further development of the Dhrupad-Rabab that has more or less disappeared today. Just like the Surbahar its body is made from a pumpkin that has been cut open horizontally and on which a wooden cover is attached. Onto this cover a flat horn bridge is fixed. The instrument has a second resonant box. The strings that are played with a metal pick are made of steel and bronze.

Dilrupa

The Dilrupa was build and playing technique of the Dilrupa is similar to the Esraj but has in comparison a larger, square resonance box. The Dilrupa is altogether a little bigger than the Esraj. The Dilrupa has 20 strings instead of 15, which produces a richer sound.Just like the Sitar, the basic note Sa is tuned between C and D.

Esraj

The Esraj is a stringed instrument that is mainly popular in Bengal and is used for instance for accompanying Tagore songs wheras it is hardly ever played as a solo instrument in classical Indian music. The Esraj has six playing strings and 15 resonance strings. The neck is equipped with frets as they are found in a similar shape on the Sitar. The sturdy, solid wooden body is covered with goat leather, like the Sarod, which serves as resonance cover. Mounted on this leather cover is a horn bridge which carries the playing strings that are partly steel and partly bronze. The resonance strings also go through the bridge. The Esraj is played with a bow similar to the violin and produces a sound that is rich in overtones and resonance and which reminds of old Renaissance instruments from Europe.
                                                                

Ghatam

The Ghatam is a bulbous earthenware jug from southern India that is open at the top and has a narrow neck. It can be positioned on the lap or on a tabla ring and is played with the fingers of both hands. The belly, neck and upper rim produce different tone colours. A characteristic bass tone that can be modulated results from beating the opening with the palm of one's hand. The Ghatam was already mentioned in the great Indian epic, the Ramayana. In the Punjab it is called Bada and in Kashmir Ghara; - in southern India it is known as Ghatam. The Karnatic music often uses the Ghatam together with the Mridangam in the form of Sawal-Jawab. It usually consists of a mixture of clay, iron dust or other metallic components. For playing it, the finger technique of the tabla is usually used, but the Ghatam can also be used for improvising.
                                                                   

madga

The Madga is a north indian version of the south indian Ghatam and is made from a very special clay. Each Madga is made by hand and unique instrument. The maker adds some kind of metal or graphit dust to th clay which is responsoble for the blue/gray looking and for the special sound.The Madga can be payed similar to the Ghatam or like an african Udu. The extrem bass volume can be produced if one hits with the flat hand the opening at the tom of the instrument. The Madga can be played also with Malets (Sticks) and there is a lot of differenciated sounds which can be produced with this instrument. Its thinner than a Ghatam but one should not be affraid, its very stabel and not so fragile as one should think.

GHUNGROOS / FEET BELLS for Kathak and Bharatnatya

In Indian dancing so-called Ghungrus are worn, mostly around the ankles, in order to intensify acoustically the rhythmic movements of the feet. Ghungrus consist of a different number of little bells made from bronze or brass. As they hardly resonate, they represent precisely the rhythmic movements of the dancing feet. The number of bells per foot can vary from 6 to 200.These Ghungroos are not so much a nice looking accessory in combination with the dress, they are an important factor to increase the rhythmical percussion sound which is produced by the foot work. The more bells a pair of Ghungroos has the better the percussion sound will be. Also the quality of the bells is very important. The common professional Ghungroos which dancers use in Kathak should be at least 100 bells each feet. 2 x 50 bells are not enough to get the percussion result a Dancer wants, only for Children it will be OK. In Bharatnatyam a professional pair of 50 bells each feet, this is enough for Bharatnatyam.

KANJIRA / KANJEERA / KHANJIRA

 Kanjira is a small south indian frame drum which is very much related to the family of tambourines. As the traditional lizard skin is prohibited due to protection of species a good meanwhile fromt he Kanjira players more and more accepted alternativ is the goat skin which we offer. There are also opinions from Kanjira players who even prefer the goat skin because they say it is possible to play deeper without breaking the skin. After playing for a while the goat skin gets more and more felxible and is ready for fantastic modulations.

The diameter of the wooden rim is appx. 7 inches. The wooden frame is covered with a goat skin and is aquipped with a pair of jingles on one side for getting a sharp cut sound. Without any tuning the sound of the Kanjira is high. To get good sound out of the goat skin it has to be sprinkled with water on the inner side to get more flexibility. This procedure has to be done very carefully because if one uses to much water the sound gets dull. If it happened one has to wait about 10 minutes to give the skin a chance to get dry again. It needs some experience how much water one should use. The right amount of water supports a fantastic bass sound and a big range of modulation is possible similar as we know it from the tabla. Kanjira also reacts to climatic contitions. Kanjira is traditionally mostly used in the south indian classical music.

Khol

The Khol is a double skin drum with a resonating body from northern and eastern India. It is mainly used traditionally for accompanying Bhajans and Kirtans. Its high skin is relatively small with a diameter of about 9 - 10 cm, which gives it a particularly high, piercing sound and it is used where this kind of sound is desirable. In India the Khol is used in folk music, in spiritual songs, Bajans, light classical songs, Kirtans and other devotional songs. The bass skin has a diameter of approximately 20 cm and is coated on the outside with a special paste in order to get a low sound. Both skins have, like the Tabla, a double leather layer at the outer rim. They are tautened by a leather strap.

The normal Tabla finger technique can usually be used. 108 different Taals are available for the Khol. There is a close connection between the way of playing the Tabla and the way of playing the Khol.  

Thavi

 

The Thavil is a large (47 cm long and 30 cm in diameter), heavy and very powerful double drum from southern India. It is traditionally used for accompanying the piercing Nageshwaram at open-air temple festivals. The modern Thavil has a body that is surrounded by a steel ring. The two skins are separately fixed to this ring with leather or plastic straps. The bass skin is struck by a short wooden stick, the high skin with thimbles that are put on the fingertips.

thimbles