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The Tanpura
Introduction
The tanpura is one of the earliest instruments to be used in Indian
music. It has a significant role to play in this system of music and is
considered to be the primary instrument in the family of Indian
musical instruments. A four stringed instrument, it is capable of producing
all the notes of the scale in the form of overtones, when tuned properly.
However, the instrument maker has to be well versed in musical tonality
and complex techniques of craftsmanship in order to be able to construct
a good tanpura capable of producing such overtones.
Acoustics of tanpura
There does not seem to be any difference of opinion regarding the principle
whereby all tanpuras produce musical sounds. When you strike a tanpura
string you apply energy to it and thus vibrate it. However, this vibration
alone is not sufficient to create clearly audible sound waves in the
surrounding air. It is for this reason that the tanpura has a carefully
designed hollow body, which acts as the sound box. The energy of the
vibrating strings is transferred to the sound box via the bridge over which
the strings pass. The sound box then vibrates in sympathy with the
tanpura string to create an amplified sound. In this manner, sound waves
can be heard up to a reasonable distance from the tanpura. In other words,
it is the sound box that is responsible for the tanpura's sound projection
and volume.
The Sound box assembly
In the vertical position, the front of the sound box is called tabli or
soundboard. The gourd at the rear is known as tumba and the neck-heel
connecting the gourd to the stem at the back is called gullu.
Tone of the tanpura
All well constructed tanpuras should have good sound projection and
volume - that is they should make efficient use of the initial energy applied
when the player strikes the strings. However if you listen to two well-made
tanpuras, they will almost certainly sound different. This quality is referred
to as tone. The difference in the tone of well-made tanpuras depends upon
the grain of the wood used for making the soundboard or tabli. According
to all makers, it is agreed that the best wood for constructing tanpuras is
Spanish cedar (tun wood). Teakwood can also be used but it is not as
widely used, as is tun.
Seasoning of wood
After deciding the type of wood to be used, the instrument maker should
bear in mind that the wood has to be well seasoned or kiln-dried so as to
stand up to remarkable changes in temperature as well as humidity. Once
having followed these steps and with reasonable amount of care and
attention will, the tanpura can have a quite surprising life span. The use of
poor material in the construction of the tanpura usually results in a poor
sounding instrument, which could also have its original shape distorted
over time. A tanpura made of green timber fresh from the tree, which is not
seasoned or kiln-dried at all, would be a complete disaster. In fact the
timber would shrink and distort while still in the hands of the tanpura
maker and even modest production standards would be impossible to
attain. What are the criteria for choosing wood that is best suited to
tanpura making? First, the wood that is to be used for the soundboard
must have the required tonal quality. Secondly, it must have the required
strength and stability. Third, the wood must lend itself to being finished or
hand polished with French shellac for protective and decorative purposes.
To sum up, the best tanpura maker will always prefer to season the wood
in the traditional fashion rather than use kiln-dried material. Seasoned
wood is timber that has been carefully stored in controlled conditions with
good ventilation for the period during which it gradually loses most, but not
all of the moisture it contains. After being exposed to varying temperatures
and humidity levels through several seasons of spring, summer, autumn
and winter, the wood becomes relatively stable. Thus the term 'seasoned'.
However this process is long and expensive, and hence traditional
seasoning of timber has become increasingly rare.
Measurements of tanpura
Before constructing the body of the tanpura one must decide about the
pitch or key to which it has to be tuned. The measurements and size of
the tanpura depends solely upon this factor. The dimensions of a tanpura
suited for the male voice are as under: Total length: 57 inches Width of
soundboard (tabli): 17 inches Circumference of gourd (tumba): 54 inches
Length of neck (dand): 40 inches The dimensions of a tanpura suited for
the female voice are as under: Total length: 51 inches Width of soundboard
(tabli): 15 inches Circumference of gourd (tumba): 48 inches Length of neck
(dand): 36 inches
Construction of the Body
Once the pitch or key is determined, one should start the process by
building the sound box assembly. As said earlier the sound box assembly
comprises of the soundboard or tabli in the front, the gourd or tumba, and
the neck heel or gullu at the back. The maker's first step is to choose a
piece of wood with the right grain for the soundboard or tabli, a good round
shaped and thick shelled gourd for the tumba and a tightly grained piece of
wood for the neck heel or gullu, which is shaped with the help of tools to
make it ready for joints. The other two parts namely, the neck or danda
and the fingerboard or patta, are also shaped and hollowed as per
requirement. The dry pulp of the gourd (tumba) is cleaned up with the help
of water and is cut accordingly to fix the neck heel (gullu) with it. This is
the first joint of the structure. The joint of the gourd (tumba) and neck heel
(gullu) is glued and nailed with handmade bamboo nails instead of metal
nails as the latter hinders vibration of the area where it is used. The
second joint is the neck joint which is the most important joint of the
structure as it takes the maximum tension of the Tanpura strings. The one
end of the neck (dand) is connected to the open end of the neck heel.
Before gluing the neck joint a good instrument maker will ensure that the
step cut end of the neck is resting on the inside of the chiseled end of the
neck heel (gullu) in such a way that the outer curves of both the pieces
match perfectly. Once this is done the joint is glued and 2 or 3 screws are
screwed in to give extra strength. The third joint is the fixing of the
fingerboard (patta) with the neck (dand). The curve of the fingerboard is
matched with the curve of the neck (dand) to form a kind of tunnel. Both
the pieces are then glued and clamped and kept aside for drying. The
fourth and last joint is that of the soundboard, which forms the front part of
the sound box assembly. The lining of the soundboard (tabli) is matched
with the gourd (tumba) shell and the lining of the neck heel (gullu) in such
a way that light does not pass through. If the lining is not done properly the
sound transmission into the sound box will be adversely affected. After
making the linings perfect the final piece is glued and clamped to the rest
of the structure. When dried, the body of the tanpura is ready.
Decorating the tanpura
The decoration of the tanpura depends totally upon the maker's taste. So
far as the aesthetics are concerned, the makers use different patterns of
inlay and woodcarvings. The most popular material used for the inlay work
is celluloid, which is a good substitute for ivory. It is also used for edgings.
Pieces of wood carved into leaf patterns are glued on to the back of the
tumba to give it a better appearance.
Polishing
Polishing is done for purposes of protection. An experienced maker will
always hand polish the instrument. French shellac in a spirit base is the
first choice of the best maker. Proper sanding of the body is necessary
before applying the polish and for good results; fine sanding is required
while polishing. The polish has to be dried for at least fifteen days before
fitting the pegs and bridges.
Fittings
Pegs and nuts (targan), bridge (jawari) and strings are the fittings of the
tanpura. The best maker will always use pegs made of rosewood, and a
bridge and nuts made of deer horn. The pegs must be made of seasoned
rosewood to avoid bending due to tension of the strings. Pegs are kept
long enough to go through the hollow neck (dand) from one end to the
other for stability. The pegs are fitted at the end of the neck (dand), and
the nuts (targan) are glued on the fingerboard (patta) close to the pegs.
The strings are strung and rolled on to the pegs from the tailpiece (longot),
which is at the other end of the sound box assembly. After the strings are
strung, the main bridge (jawari) is placed at the centre of the soundboard
(tabli). The maker ensures that the legs of the bridge are not rocking when
placed on the soundboard (tabli). The saddle of the bridge is then filed to
allow the strings to rest on it perfectly and vibrate freely. Small lengths of
fine thread are placed between the string and the saddle in such a way
that the harmonics or over-tones are heard. The tanpura is tuned to the
required key and is then ready to be played.