Electronic+Tanpura

=**Electronic Tanpura- By Rajati Bakshi**=



The electronic Tanpura in an electronic version of the instrument called the ‘tanpura’, which is commonly used for Indian Classical Music. It is an instrument used to accompany Indian Classical singers. What it does is that it plays the tonic note (called ‘Sa’), and either the sub tonic (‘Ma’), or supertonic (‘Pa’) or leading note (‘Ni’) in alternation. For example, it plays the tonic and then the subtonic (Sa- Ma), or the tonic and the supertonic (Sa – Pa), or the tonic and leading note (Sa – Ni), depending upon the raga being sung. The instrument is used not only for instrumentation purposes but also to assist the singers, reminding them of the tonic note which defines they key that is being sung in.



Bearing its roots from the original tanpura, the electronic tanpura has many benefits. Firstly, the tanpura is a big bulky instrument that is required to be played by an accompanist at all times. In order to make singers independent while practicing, the electronic tanpura is an ideal instrument. It is used for practicing as well as performing purposes and is electricity driven or controlled by batteries. The box has two dials on it, one that controls the timbre of sound and the other which controls the volume. Turning the volume also makes the box go on and off. The timbre of the sound is the sharpest on the left side labeled ‘ladies’ and darkest on the right side labeled ‘gents’. Another benefit that this system provides is the manipulation of pitch. Each note (except the supertonic and the tonic) in the Indian music system has two counterparts, the //‘shudh’// and the //‘komal’// or the //‘tivra’//. Different combinations of these notes are used in different ragas, to create different moods. As a general trend, //‘shudh’// notes correspond to major notes and the //‘komal’// notes correspond to minor ‘//sawaras//’ or notes. The electronic tanpura gives the singer complete freedom to manipulate the pitches of notes, in order to make them major or minor, corresponding to different ragas. This is done by a button called ‘Manual tuning’ on the tanpura box. The ‘Sa’, or the tonic note can also be manipulated, using the button ‘Fine tuning’.