Online tanpura
Start a tanpura drone on Sa in any key. Choose Pa, Ma, Ni or Sa for the first string, a lower or higher pitch, and how fast the strings are plucked.
- A drone in any key
- Free, no sign-up
Press Start. The drone keeps playing until you press Stop. On a phone, leave this page in front.
Runs in your browser. Nothing you type or open is uploaded. Free to use, no account. More audio tools
How to use it
- Choose the key of Sa, the pitch, and the first string.
- Set the cycle length, the fine tuning in cents, and the volume.
- Press Start drone. Press Stop when you are done.
How the drone is tuned
Four strings are plucked in order: the first string, then Sa, then Sa again, then Sa an octave lower, with a slightly longer rest after the low Sa. Pa is a pure fifth below the middle Sa, Ma a pure fourth below, and Ni a pure major semitone below (the ratios 3/4, 2/3 and 15/16). The two middle strings are the middle Sa, and the fourth string is the low Sa. Men’s pitch puts Sa between A2 and G♯3. Women’s pitch puts it between F3 and E4. Fine tuning moves the whole drone by the cents you set.
Each string is an additive tone whose bright peak sweeps downward after the pluck, in the manner of the curved jawari bridge: the sound opens and then mellows. The plucks vary a little in time and level so the cycle does not turn mechanical, and the loop is seamless. The harmonium name and the kattai number for the chosen Sa are shown above the string list. Leave the page in front on a phone, because a background tab may pause the sound. Press Start again after you change the key.
Private by design
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Everything runs in this page and stays on your device. The drone is synthesised in this page while it plays.
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Questions
How do I play a tanpura in a chosen key?
Set Key of Sa to the note you are singing, choose men’s or women’s pitch, and press Start drone. The line under the controls shows the octave, the harmonium name and the kattai.
What should the first string be?
Pa is the usual choice, a fifth below Sa. Ma is a fourth below, used in some ragas. Ni sits a semitone below Sa. Sa on the first string makes all four strings a Sa.
What does the cycle length do?
It is the time for one round of four plucks. A longer cycle is a slower, more open drone. The rest after the low Sa stays a little longer than the other gaps.
Can I tune it between the notes?
Yes. Fine tuning moves Sa by up to 50 cents either way, and every string moves with it.
Will it keep playing on a phone?
It plays until you press Stop, as long as the page stays in front. A phone may pause audio when the browser is in the background, so bring the page back and press Start again.
From the same developer
- Drums n Piano: the matching app.
