tanpuras

Tanpura is a long-necked plucked string instrument used to provide the drone in Indian classical music. It is usually a four- or five-string instrument with a hollow resonator (often a gourd) and a long neck. The strings are tuned to fixed pitches and produce a continuous harmonic background rather than a melody. In most Hindustani performances the drone centers on the tonic (Sa) and the fifth (Pa) across two octaves, creating a shimmering backdrop for the singer or instrumentalist.

A typical four-string tanpura is tuned to two pitches across octaves: Sa and Pa, in lower and upper registers. The instrument is plucked softly with the right hand, often with a fingernail or a plectrum, to sustain a steady, unchanging tone. It is not melodically played; the drone remains constant while the performer improvises above it.

There are acoustic tanpuras, built with wood and a resonator, and electronic tanpuras, or shruti boxes, which generate the drone electronically. Electronic versions are common in studios and live performances, offering stable pitch, octave options, and volume control without the need for retuning.

In practice, the tanpura provides sruti, the standard pitch reference that helps singers and instrumentalists maintain correct intonation and explore ragas. The instrument has a long-standing role in Indian classical music and is widely used in both Hindustani and, to some extent, Carnatic traditions.