Sruti box
Encyclopedia
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A shruti box is a small wooden instrument that traditionally works on a system of bellows
. It is similar to a harmonium
and is used to provide a drone
in a practice session or concert
of Indian classical music
. It is used as an accompaniment to other instruments and notably the flute. Use of the shruti box has widened with the cross-cultural influences of world music
and new age music
to provide a drone for many other instruments as well as vocalists.
Adjustable buttons allow tuning. Nowadays, electronic shruti boxes are commonly used, which are called shruti petti in Tamil
and Telugu
and sur peti in Hindi
.
, musicians used either a tambura
or a specific pitch
reference instrument, such as the nadaswaram
, to produce the drone. Some forms of music such as Yakshagana
used Pungi
of the snake charmers as drone. After the harmonium became popular, musicians would modify the harmonium to automatically produce the reference pitch. Typically, one would open up the cover and adjust the stop
of the harmonium to produce a drone.
Later, a keyless version of the harmonium was invented for the specific purpose of producing the drone sound. It was given the name shruti box or sruti box. These instruments had controls on the top or on the side of the box for controlling the pitch.
The shruti box is enjoying a renaissance in the West amongst traditional and contemporary musicians who are using it for a range of different styles. In the early nineties traditional Irish singer Nóirín Ní Riain
brought the shruti box to Ireland, giving it a minor place in traditional Irish music. More recently Karine Polwart
the acclaimed Scottish folk artist has championed the instrument, using it on some of her songs. Singers find it very useful as an accompaniment and instrumentalists enjoy the drone reference it gives to play along with.
A shruti box is a small wooden instrument that traditionally works on a system of bellows
Bellows
A bellows is a device for delivering pressurized air in a controlled quantity to a controlled location.Basically, a bellows is a deformable container which has an outlet nozzle. When the volume of the bellows is decreased, the air escapes through the outlet...
. It is similar to a harmonium
Harmonium
A harmonium is a free-standing keyboard instrument similar to a reed organ. Sound is produced by air being blown through sets of free reeds, resulting in a sound similar to that of an accordion...
and is used to provide a drone
Drone (music)
In music, a drone is a harmonic or monophonic effect or accompaniment where a note or chord is continuously sounded throughout most or all of a piece. The word drone is also used to refer to any part of a musical instrument that is just used to produce such an effect.-A musical effect:A drone...
in a practice session or concert
Concert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
of Indian classical music
Indian classical music
The origins of Indian classical music can be found in the Vedas, which are the oldest scriptures in the Hindu tradition. Indian classical music has also been significantly influenced by, or syncretised with, Indian folk music and Persian music. The Samaveda, one of the four Vedas, describes music...
. It is used as an accompaniment to other instruments and notably the flute. Use of the shruti box has widened with the cross-cultural influences of world music
World music
World music is a term with widely varying definitions, often encompassing music which is primarily identified as another genre. This is evidenced by world music definitions such as "all of the music in the world" or "somebody else's local music"...
and new age music
New Age music
New Age music is music of various styles intended to create artistic inspiration, relaxation, and optimism. It is used by listeners for yoga, massage, meditation, and reading as a method of stress management or to create a peaceful atmosphere in their home or other environments, and is often...
to provide a drone for many other instruments as well as vocalists.
Adjustable buttons allow tuning. Nowadays, electronic shruti boxes are commonly used, which are called shruti petti in Tamil
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
and Telugu
Telugu language
Telugu is a Central Dravidian language primarily spoken in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, where it is an official language. It is also spoken in the neighbouring states of Chattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa and Tamil Nadu...
and sur peti in Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
.
History
Before the arrival of the harmonium in IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, musicians used either a tambura
Tambura
The tambura, tanpura, or tambora is a long-necked plucked lute . The body shape of the tambura somewhat resembles that of the sitar, but it has no frets – only the open strings are played to accompany other musicians...
or a specific pitch
Pitch (music)
Pitch is an auditory perceptual property that allows the ordering of sounds on a frequency-related scale.Pitches are compared as "higher" and "lower" in the sense associated with musical melodies,...
reference instrument, such as the nadaswaram
Nadaswaram
The nadaswaram, also spelt nadhaswaram, and also called nagaswaram , is one of the most popular classical musical instruments in the South Indian culture and the world's loudest non-brass acoustic instrument...
, to produce the drone. Some forms of music such as Yakshagana
Yakshagana
Yakshagana is a musical theater popular in the coastal and Malenadu regions of Karnataka, India. Yakshagana is the recent scholastic name for what are known as kēḷike, āṭa, bayalāṭa, bayalāṭa, daśāvatāra . It is believed to have evolved from pre-classical music and theatre during Bhakti movement...
used Pungi
Pungi
The pungi, also called the been, or bin is a wind instrument played by snake charmers in India. The pungi is similar to the Chinese Hulusi but has only two reed pipes, known as the "jivala". The pungi was improved to produce the Shehnai. The pungi originated in India and is still played by snake...
of the snake charmers as drone. After the harmonium became popular, musicians would modify the harmonium to automatically produce the reference pitch. Typically, one would open up the cover and adjust the stop
Organ stop
An organ stop is a component of a pipe organ that admits pressurized air to a set of organ pipes. Its name comes from the fact that stops can be used selectively by the organist; some can be "on" , while others can be "off" .The term can also refer...
of the harmonium to produce a drone.
Later, a keyless version of the harmonium was invented for the specific purpose of producing the drone sound. It was given the name shruti box or sruti box. These instruments had controls on the top or on the side of the box for controlling the pitch.
The shruti box is enjoying a renaissance in the West amongst traditional and contemporary musicians who are using it for a range of different styles. In the early nineties traditional Irish singer Nóirín Ní Riain
Nóirín Ní Riain
Nóirín Ní Riain is an Irish singer, writer, teacher, theologian and an authority on Gregorian Chant . She is primarily known for spiritual songs, but also sings Celtic music, Sean-nós and Indian songs. Nóirín plays an Indian harmonium , Shruti box and Feadóg...
brought the shruti box to Ireland, giving it a minor place in traditional Irish music. More recently Karine Polwart
Karine Polwart
Karine Polwart is a Scottish singer-songwriter. She writes and performs music with a strong folk and roots feel, her songs dealing with a variety of issues from alcoholism to genocide...
the acclaimed Scottish folk artist has championed the instrument, using it on some of her songs. Singers find it very useful as an accompaniment and instrumentalists enjoy the drone reference it gives to play along with.
External links
- Online Shruti Box Free Online Shruti box.
- Yashagana Shruti Box Free Software Online/WINDOWS/Linux/Mobile/iPhone/Android.
- tanpura mp3 downloads free tanpura mp3 downloads from Matthew Rahaim (sa-pa and sa-ma) A, B, C, C#, D