Shruti box

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

This article is about the musical instrument. For the series of internet music videos by Shankar Tucker, see Shankar Tucker § The ShrutiBox.
One side of the shruti box
Playing the shruti box
Playing the shruti box
A shruti box and a nadaswaram
An electronic shruti box

A shruti box (sruti box, shrutibox, srutibox or surpeti) is a

drone in a practice session or concert of Indian classical music.[1] It is used as an accompaniment to other instruments and notably the flute. The shruti box is also used in classical singing. In classical singing, the shruti box is used to help tune the voice. The 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 and mantra singing.

Adjustable buttons allow tuning. Nowadays,

Malayalam, and Telugu, and sur peti in Hindi.[2][3]
Recent versions also allow for changes to be made in the tempo, and the notes such as Madhyamam, Nishadam to be played in place of the usual three notes (i.e., Lower shadjam, panchamam, and the upper shadjam).

History

Before the arrival of the

harmonium in the Indian subcontinent, 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 the pungi reed pipe as drone. After the Western small pump 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.[citation needed
]

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 types of instruments had controls on the top or on the side of the box for controlling the pitch.[citation needed]

The shruti box is enjoying a renaissance in the West among 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 Scottish folk artists Karine Polwart and Julie Fowlis used the instrument on some of their songs.[4][5] Singers find it very useful as an accompaniment and instrumentalists enjoy the drone reference it gives to play along with.[citation needed]

See also

References

  1. Hinduism Today
    . Retrieved 6 December 2011.
  2. ISBN 9780756676384
    .
  3. ^ Montes, Manuel. "Nóirín Ní Riain: Celtic Soul". Amazing Sounds. Retrieved 6 December 2011.
  4. ^ "Karine Polwart FAQs". karinepolwart.com. Retrieved 6 December 2011.
  5. ^ A Ghaoil, Leig Dhachaigh Gum Mhathair Mi, by Julie Fowlis, from the album 'Gach Sgeul / Every Story', on youtube.com

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Shruti box.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Shruti_box&oldid=1217871476"