Contents

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String

Percussion

Wind

Dilruba
Esraj
Gottuvadhyam
Rudra Vina
Santoor
Sarangi
Saraswati Veena

Sarod
Sitar
Surbahar
Tanpura
Veena
Vichitra Veena
Violin Common

Dholak
Ghatam
Khanjira
Mridangam
Pakhawaj
Tabla
Thalam
Thavil

Bansuri
Flute
Harmonium
Nagaswaram
Shehnai

Dholak

This is a percussion instrument used predominantly as an accompaniment in devotional and film music. The body of the instrument is made of wood and the two ends are made of hide. The pitch of the dolak can be altered either by the adjustable bolt-nut system or by strings.

Ghatam

The ghatam is an earthenware pot with thick walls (2 cm). The percussionist uses the flat, the knuckles and the sides of both hands to hit the walls of the ghatam but he also uses his belly to cover the mouth of the pot, generating controlled tuning and even notes in the lower octave. The ghatam is the main percussion instrument of Carnatic music with mridangam.

Khanjira

The kanjira is a small tambourine. It is made by stretching lizard skin over a wooden frame. The frame is about seven inches in diameter with one metal jingle mounted in it. The kanjira is very popular in South Indian classical performances. But since it is difficult to play it continuously for extended periods of time, it is not used as the main purcussion instrument, but as an additional one with mridangam.

Mridangam

The mridangam is the instrument used in Carnatic music to maintain the 'thala' or rhythm of the recital. The body is made of jackwood, and the circular sides are made of hide.

The mridangam is a double sided drum. The body of the instrument is made of one piece of wood. Hollow, the body has two opertures of different size, one, very small, that will generate high pitched sounds and another, wider, for low pitched sounds. The walls of the instrument are 2/3 centimeters thick and give it stability in the low frequencies.

The Right Head: A mixture of manganese dust, boiled rice and tamarind juice is worked on to the right head of the mridangam in order to increase the pitch of the note. This creates a permanent large black circle in the middle of the drum head. The note of the head is tuned to the tonic. Different harmonics of the head are produced by various finger combinations. The Left Head: The left head of the mridangam is left bare, but when it is played, a mixture of pounded raw rice and water is applied to the center. This gives its characteristic dull sound. The two skins are stretched together with leather strips. The Mridangam is the main rhythm instrument of Carnatic music music with ghatam.

Pakwajh

Pakhawaj is an ancient barrel shaped drum with two playing heads. It is essentially a north Indian version of the Mridangam. It was once common throughout north India but in the last few generations tabla has usurped its position of importance. It has a right head which is identical to tabla except somewhat larger. The left head is similar to the tabla bayan except that there is a temporary application of flour and water instead of the black permanent spot. It is laced with rawhide and has tuning blocks placed between the straps and shell. This instrument was very much tied to dhrupad, consequently as dhrupad has declined, the pakhawaj has also fallen out of use. Today this instrument is rare and used only in Dhrupad concerts and percussion ensembles.

Tabla

Tabla is the overall term for two drums, which are played as accompaniment to North Indian music and dance. The musician uses the base of the palm as well as the fingers to produce great variations in sounds. The right hand drum is tuned to the tonic dominant or sub-dominant and the left-hand drum acts as the base. It is perhaps the most versatile of all percussion instruments. It is the most used instrument in any form of indian music, except carnatic classical and Dhrupad.

Thalam

The thalam is used by musicians as a timing instrument. The mild clanging sound made by the two circular brass plates held together by a string, is used to maintain timing and rhythm. Thalam is mainly used in devotional music and in Nadaswaram recitals.

Thavil

The Tavil is the main percussion instrument for the Nagaswaram. It is a double-headed barrel-shaped drum which is hollowed out of a solid block of wood. On both sides of the barrel are hoops fastened by interwoven leather straps. Also attached to the hoops are two skins stretched to form the two heads. The pitch is adjusted by tightening the skin with the help of a leather band which passes round the middle of the barrel over the braces. The right head is played with the fingers of the right hand capped with hardened rice paste caps whilst the left head is played with a thick stick. Rings made of the same material as the caps are also worn on the knuckles of the right hand. The right head is stretched tight but is not tuned to any particular pitch.

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Profiles of Wind Instruments

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