Shruti Box 'Saraswati' in 432 hertz from 'Monoj Kumar Sardar & Brothers', 1 octave row from C3 to C4, a pure fundamental tone instrument. Dimensions and weight: 41.00 × 32.00 × 8.50 cm - 4.61 kg. Sold with bag!

Product Specification: Item 11128
EAN 8719497613410
Teak Wood Material
Size cm 41
Total weight gr. 4610
Country of origin India

A high-quality concert instrument with particularly large bellows and a full, full sound. A gentle movement of the bellows is enough to maintain a stable sound, even with multiple levers open. The frame is made of solid wood and the sides are made of plywood. Also includes a gig bag.

About the product: Tonal range from C3 to C4.

Tuned to A4 at 432 Hz.

Each instrument is individually handcrafted and may vary slightly from our description/photos.

Carrying bag included.

Monoj Kumar Sardar & Brothers Monoj Kumar Sardar & Brothers is a large-scale manufacturer located in the heart of Kolkata, rich in tradition.

Manager Monoj Kumar will provide you with all instruments made in India, from sitars, tanpuras, and harmoniums to folk instruments and violins. Thanks to our many years of cooperation with Monoj Kumar Sardar, we now receive instruments that can be compared to renowned brands thanks to their reliable workmanship and good tone quality. Material: Teak wood and plywood

THE SHRUTI BOX
The Shruti Box, also called a surpeti, is a perfect accompaniment for modal music, improvisation, vocal work, overtone singing, music therapy, and all kinds of Indian music. It produces a full, sustained drone sound that is sturdy, mobile, and extremely easy to handle. To begin, you must first unlock the wooden latches on the bellows on both sides.

Then you open the levers to the notes you like. Finally, you gently move the bellows open to one side - and your drone unfolds!

About: The shruti-box or surpeti is an Indian free-reed musical instrument. It is a singing guide with variable drones operated by a manual bellows, like a keyboard-less harmonium. There is also an electronic version.
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A leather or cardboard bellows is attached to a rectangular wooden sound box. Air escapes through several simple brass reeds (between 4 and 16) that can be opened or closed as desired. The air must be pumped by hand by operating the bellows. There is also a mute.
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It is a study instrument, of modest volume and price, which replaces a tampura, a harmonium, or a shehnai drone or nâgasvaram. It is also sometimes found in concerts alongside the tampura.

WHO CAN USE THE SHRUTI BOX?
The Shruti Box requires neither tuning nor advanced playing technique. Therefore, it is suitable for both musical beginners and professional musicians, teachers, therapists, and performers.

It produces a pleasant natural acoustic carpet for any type of work and allows you to stay focused on singing, speaking, watching or moving while being played.

CONSTRUCTION
The Shruti Box produces a powerful sound and is very easy to play.

It is ideal for accompanying any genre of Indian music, vocal work, modal improvisation or overtone singing, or Indian wind instruments, especially the bansuri (bamboo flute).

The production of sounds and tones is similar to that of a harmonium or an accordion: the metal reeds inside the instruments are made to vibrate by the compressed air passing through them.

The air movement is controlled by two bellows on both sides of the instrument.

One side has 13 levers. Opening them allows air to flow from inside and causes the reed under the lever to produce a note.

The Shruti Box covers a full octave of 13 chromatic half-notes. This way, you can freely choose the sound that best suits your specific needs.

For a particularly rich and full sound, it is recommended to add a fifth or a quarter lower than the root. Any other combination is also possible, of course.

Its advantage over the harmonium: it is smaller, lighter, cheaper, easier to transport and easier to play.

HOW TO PLAY
The Shruti Box can be played with one hand while sitting, standing, or even walking. You first open the side levers that lock the entire instrument in place. Then, open the levers for the desired notes—this side should be facing you.

Now place your hand on top of the instrument and press the side towards you without the levers. The volume can be adjusted by varying the tempo and the pressure applied to the bellows.

When you release your finger pressure, the bellows automatically pops up and you can press again for continuous sound.

If you slide your hand through the handle on top of the instrument, you can carry and play it with one hand. Alternatively, you can also put a strap through the handle and hang it around your neck.

TIPS FOR PLAYING
It is best to keep the Shruti Box upright on an even floor or stable stand.

Alternatively, it can be carried by the handle to allow free movement while playing.

The volume and continuity of the sound depend on the speed and pressure of the bellows movement.

You'll get a feel for this in no time. A particularly round and beautiful drone is created by adding the fifth or fourth above the chosen fundamental (also called the "tonic").

Other note combinations are also possible, depending on individual preferences - from straight major chords to dissonant clusters.

But be careful: More sound notes mean more air consumption - harder pumping is required in order to maintain a stable sound!

HISTORY
The Shruti box was developed from the European harmonium, which was brought to India by missionaries in the 19th century.

It is also called surpeti and is traditionally used mainly for vocal accompaniment of folk or religious music.

Its lack of a keyboard makes it a pure drone instrument. Drones continuously emit single or multiple notes, the uninterrupted presence of which creates an open sound space.

This space can be filled with melodies or other musical structures. The idea of ​​drone is an essential part of Indian music.

However, drones are also known in Western music, especially in its older forms.

Some Western instruments like the bagpipes or the hurdy-gurdy even have built-in drones.