OneTaskBy Tim King · Updated
Tanpura Drone
Set Your Sa, Pa or Ma Tuning, Free
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How the Tanpura Drone works
This tanpura drone gives you a four-string tanpura in your browser for riyaz, singing practice or accompanying a slow alap. Choose your Sa, set the first string to Pa, Ma or Ni, and press Play. The strings pluck one after another in the traditional order, and the picture lights up each string as it sounds so you can follow the cycle.
How a tanpura drone works
A tanpura does not play a melody. Its four strings are plucked in a slow, unending cycle, usually first string, then two middle strings at Sa, then the low Sa, so the tonic is always in the air. The bridge, or jawari, makes each string buzz with rich overtones, and singers tune against those harmonics. Here a slightly detuned sawtooth through a soft filter and room reverb stands in for that buzzing tone.
Choosing Sa and the first string
Most male voices use a Sa between B2 and D3, and most female voices between F3 and A3; C#3 and G#3 are common choices. For most ragas the first string is Pa. Ragas that omit Pa, such as Malkauns or Bageshree, use Ma. Ni or komal Ni suit a few ragas such as Marwa. The first string sounds in the lower octave, below the middle Sa strings.
Just or equal tempered
Just tuning uses pure ratios: Pa is exactly 3:2 above Sa, Ma 4:3. That is how a real tanpura is tuned and why it sounds so still. Equal tempered matches a harmonium or keyboard and is useful if you are playing along with one.
FAQ
What Sa should I use for singing?
Find the lowest note you can sing comfortably and steadily, then pick a Sa a few semitones above it so you have room for the lower octave. Many teachers start men around C or C# and women around G or G#, then adjust by ear.
Why does the first string sound below Sa?
On a tanpura the first string is tuned to the lower octave's Pa or Ma, so it sits between the low Sa and the middle Sa. That is the standard arrangement, and it helps fill out the bottom of the drone under your voice.
Can I use this instead of a real tanpura?
For daily practice it does the job, as electronic tanpuras do. A real instrument has a more complex, living buzz from the jawari and string interaction, so for performance or recording most musicians still prefer an acoustic tanpura or high-quality samples.
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