Tanpura - India Instruments

The Tanpura is a drone instrument of Indian music prevalent in both the Hindustani and the Carnatic systems. It is the software version of a Tanpura, this sitar-like instrument used in Indian classical music to play a drone sound throughout a musical performance. Includes real sounds. Whether you practice Indian music or just want a meditative background sound for relaxing, we hope you'll enjoy this app.

Tanpura is a drone instrument. It resembles a sitar except it has no frets. It has four strings tuned to the tonic. The word "tanpura" (tanpoora) is com­mon in the north, but in south India it is called "tambura", "thamboora", "thambura", or "tamboora". The tanpura is known for its very rich sound. There are three main styles; the Miraj style, the Tanjore style and the small instrumental version some­times called tamburi.

A long-necked plucked string instrument, originating from India, found in various forms in Indian music.

It plays an important role in a concert of classical music by providing the base note (adharaswara) and by creating an aesthetic ambience on the stage. A well-tuned tanpura can emit possibly all the seven notes of the gamut.

The tanpura by its function of providing a background, provides neither a specific note nor a rhythm. It creates a circle of certain pitches which by themselves do not produce a melody. Therefore, it will be more apt if we say that the tanpura creates a melodic background, but not a melody. Thus the tanpura provides a drone, i.e. adhar swara, designed to create a musical state in which an artist enjoys the fullest possible freedom to explore the different elements of the music.

The continuous drone of the tanpura can also impart a musical continuity, especially to the plucked and struck instruments, which do not possess a musical continuity in their sound production. Tambora, tambura, tumbura or tamura all are synonyms of the Tanpura, which is relatively a new nomenclature given to it in Northern Indian music, wheras in Carnatic music it is still called tambura.

Tanpura Music also helps to tune the chakra in its optimum spin and balance, ensuring a balanced energy supply to different organs of body that are connected to the specific chakra.