The Instrument Behind the Instruments

So far we have mostly talked about glamourous and well-known—well, at least comparatively well-known—musical instruments. The tabla, the sitar, the sarangi – all of these take centre stage in any classical music performance. Yet for every much-acclaimed star performer there are dozens of unthought of and ignored people working patiently backstage. The world of classical music is no exception – as the tanpura proves.

The tanpura is a sitar-like instrument which is used to support other instrument’s or singer’s melodies rather than to make its own by maintaining a constant drone. This drone is always a specific key, and is produced by plucking a cycle of four strings in an unchanging and precisely timed loop, as seen below. This background drone is an inconspicuous yet vital part of a classical music performance, supporting the other performers and serving as a reference point for melodic improvisation and intricate rhythms.

Nowadays, however, the tanpura is being increasingly replaced by the electronic tanpura and audio recordings, which are both easier to use and less expensive than hiring an actual tanpura player. This instrument is the most vulnerable of all to modernization, as it can be easily replicated by a drone-producing machine. However, many musicians find these substitutes to be lacking in nuance and monotonous, and claim that they can never replace the expertise of professional tanpura players. All this controversy goes to show the importance and value of the tanpura, the instrument behind the instruments.

Cover photo from Wikimedia Commons