How Do You Use Tanpuras In Sitar Music?
Tanpuras are drone instruments that are used extensively to accompany the sitar in Indian music. Tanpuras have long wooden necks and bodies made of hollow gourds with anywhere from three to five strings. They function as the bass and the harmony when played with a sitar and are used in both traditional and modern Indian music. Decide if you’d like to play a regular tanpura, which is a very large instrument, or an instrumental tanpura, which is a small instrument used only in accompaniment. The instrumental tanpura is a nice option if you’ll be traveling often with the instrument because of its small size. Tune the tanpura. Even though you won’t be playing the melody on the tanpura, it’s a very noticeable instrument. It plays constantly through the song and the music won’t sound good if it’s out of tune. Keep a regular rhythm. Pluck each string in tempo. The tanpura, when used to accompany the sitar, is roughly the Indian equivalent of a bass guitar, so you’ll need to keep a steady temp
