How to Play the Tambura : Tambura Fingering & Rhythm

[emsifara]

assholes this is not tabura the tambura is bulgarian bedore you tell me that i wrong im bulgarian and i know that this is not tambura

[RatRaceAce]

Also, timing the stroking of the strings is quite simple. Consider six counts in time: 1-2-3-4-5-6. The first string and the fourth string last for 2 counts each; the second and the third string last for one count each: (12) (3) (4) (56) . So, the sounds go like: G-CCc-; G-CCc-; etc. (the dash is one count in time).

[RatRaceAce]

Hi, just a few observations: Try to "stroke" the strings, using the flat of the fingers, in order to avoid the sharp plucking sound. Plucking does not produce the right effect. Also, while plucking one string, make sure you don't touch and damp the other strings. You need all the strings to keep vibrating at the same time and produce a complex mixed sound. You don't want the individual string sounds to stand out separately.

[deadheadshaman]

hi, i need a tanpura that i can tune to drone in the same keys as the D and A strings (4th and 5th) on a guitar in standard tuning. would i be better off getting a male tanpura and tuning it up or a female and tuning it down? not sure weather this would kill the buzz or not

[dmanisthebest1]

the lower octave sa string is not tuned properly.

[cosiogalko]

I love your video. Thank you for presenting this.

[BREEPxoo]

does this video really have almost 40,000 views? rightttt.

[ChibaFish]

because the place to learn how to play an ancient Indian instrument steeped in sacred tradition... is ExpertVillage!

[heliumxheels]

Dang there be some haters on here.

I thought this was a good video. I learned something.

[sjelos]

@heliumxheels well, if you knew how to press and pluck strings correctly, the proper lengths of tones, and the proper position of hands, what exactly did you expect to learn from this beginners video?

[Nero111417]

I'm not being mean but, I literally just learnt nothing.

[NarNu1]

I was fingering in Simmering

and the moon was shimmering

and the wife i was fingering

has stolen my penisring

[rrmd2007]

Such beauty emanates both from the player and the sound.. Very peaceful.

Namaste

[wowhorde12]

i cant see here coz of sub all over the fucking screen...

[somedanceforjoy]

she didnt even teach anything, and yes she does look like yoda haha

[andaloudog]

I want one of these - I'll name it Richie.

[LoloMusical]

She's so high... XD

[StairwayToHevin]

such a beautiful instrument

[Konman68]

Namaste and thank you



[junkinutrunk]

Sounds like fret buzz...

[darioxpowa]

what about taking a look at her nude pics? Go to: lipsydipsy(dot)com/Marina

[snupcho]

This instrument is definitely not Tambura.

[cactusleaf]

@snupcho You're right. It's a North Indian tanpura, (which I think is normally pronounced with emphasis on the first syllable: tan'-pu-ra), but a tambura is similar enough that it's a common error.. or even an accepted one. A tambura is the South Indian equivalent, with a slightly different shape, different carvings, and a buzzier sound. Both play the same musical role in the same way, and sound very much alike. Most likely, the names are interchangeable. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

[snupcho]

@cactusleaf  I would like to correct you, or rather contribute to the info you've given about the name Tambura, since in the country where I come from, Bulgaria, Tambura is a national instrument and it looks and sounds like this /watch?v=JRZM0sIf1_M I was searching in YouTube for Tambura and that's how I found out that there is an Indian instrument with the same name.

[Budapestitest]

thats a sitar isnt it??? tambura is way smaller than that in the carpathian basin and sounds different not that much of resonance

[omsatya]

@Budapestitest no its not even a tambura, this is a tanpura a north indian version of a tamboora/ tamboori. Sitar plays the melody while this just gives the pitch and microtones, it is usually tuned to PA SA SA SA

[Budapestitest]

ahh I see but what is pa sa sa sa I guess its just a language barrier but i dont know what you mean

[metemi]

Expert village sucks, it's just a bunch of hacks.

[Dogsledfan]

Another question I have is this: is the tambura player expected to be as accomplished a musician as his or her sitar counterpart? Or, is the tamburist generally a person who can't play the sitar very well? Somewhat like the way mediocre violinists used to get stuck playing the viola....?

[omsatya]

@Dogsledfan a tambora player accompanies the sitar player giving the pitch and microtones of what he is playing

[AsylumSeaker]

It's not so much about that. The tambura drone is an important part of the music, so someone has to play it, that's all.

Anyway, you can invest as much time learning tambura as you can sitar - drones are complex sounds in themselves.

[MrChicagoMusic]

@AsylumSeaker

These videos are somewhat of a convoluted introduction to the Tanpura and you'd be better off learning how to play one from watching videos of them being used in a performance. The goal is to create a drone for the music that seemingly has no end and no beginning. Noone dedicates their lives to learning the tanpura, its a simple accompany instrument often played by a student. You'll be hard pressed to find a musician who only plays the Tanpura, its not that type of instrument.

[AsylumSeaker]

@MrChicagoMusic

I agree with what you're saying and didn't mean to suggest anyone would dedicate their life to the tanpura.

I did suggest though that drones are an underlooked facet of music and you can spend a lot more time on them than most people do.

[Dogsledfan]

I'm a total beginner as regards Indian music, but, is this instrument supposed to function somewhat along the lines as the "bass" would in western music? I realize, of course, that Indian music is NOT built around the harmonic structure that is had in the west. However, I think that the first western "bass lines" were little more than a drone - much like this. That's why I am wondering if this is how the western bass line developed over the centuries.

[Cmix1a]

Dogsledfan, yes the tambura is meant to be a drone in the background for the sitar or sarod to solo over

[jazz4]

expert village sucks major testis.

[cactusleaf]

The one and only fundamental requirement of the tanpura is that it be in tune. In tune. LADY, THE LEAST YOU COULD POSSIBLY DO AS AN "EXPERT", FOR THE LOVE OF BRAMHA, IS TUNE YOUR DAMN TANPURA.

[FunkMan53]

Where does Expert Village get these people??

[the1andonlybigh]

So the other hand just holds it up. You only have 4 notes to hit. How do you get different notes. Or do you just tune it for the song you are playing.

[punjabimonkeyz]

you dont get different notes. the tanpura plays the same notes over and over again. as for songs, the tanpura is tuned to the pitch 'sa' according to what raag the song is being sung in. the tanpura is merely an instrument played to keep the rest of the ensemble in tune. once you tune to the tanpura you are set to go. the other can rest on the gourd or your knee.

[holikarang]

it's a drone insturment, you don't ìplay a songì but just keep a drone throughout the performance, and each string has to be tuned to create a precise harmony and keep the tonic or basic note.

[shinjiemisato]

Actually the two middle strings clearly play the same note (a Ré as i can notice). Theres no other way to change notes in this instrument?

[thiagotecnico]

man this instrument is AWESOME. HEAR THAT SOUND. NO ELECTRIC DISTORTION

[TuckmanJiggityJones]

What the... ?

FUCK YOU, Ads by Google!!!

[v10monster]

where could i find a free mp3 of tambura drone?

[Max0Inq]

She looks like Yoda.

[MrProgrock]

Word.

[DJSeba]

@Max0Inq Tambura to play you will learn

[cod4gearsman]

@Max0Inq ROFL  she looks like yoda

lol

[tablaplayer9]

I'v learned differently from Pandit Ravi Shankar ji...the pattern iv learned is Middle, Index, Index, Index. Mean no harm in this comment, just observing the different ways to play the instrument. The video is missing the actual roundness and continuity of drone, that is supposed to be there while playing the tanpura....thoughts? (again no harm intended)

[holikarang]

you are correct, any actual tanpura player would play it the way you said, or only with the index, also the fingers should be as parallel as possible to the strings and the side of the finger shuld be used. This is not a traditional way to play it. I wonder what it's meant by 'professional' here.

[tutonline]

I had both Indian and Western teachers and they all explained things differently but equally professionally. Of course, if you want just a poor imitation, anyone can do that...

[tutonline]

also, you can use one or two but not three fingers, and she seems to use fingers randomly...please, first learn then teach!

[tutonline]

she's playing it wrong, the fingers have to be placed in parallel with strings and not like that!! I wonder how they decide some people can teach such things... and when she sings it sounds terrible..

[Radjehuty]

Honestly. For something this simple does it really matter? It sounds fine. Are you a guru with the Tambura? Are you honestly that much of an expert to critique her technique?

I think you could have chosen a kinder way to be critical of her methods.

[tutonline]

your comment says it all, Indian masters say it takes nearly a lifetime to be perfect in tuning a tanpura, it's not SIMPLE.

[tutonline]

And people here are called 'experts', I'm sorry it sounded rude, but I've been learning Indian classical music for ten years and even after two lessons anyone would know her technique is not correct. Sorry, but some people learn for a lifetime and then some beginner comes and claims to be an 'expert', even if it's a free lesson it should be honest...she clearly does not have a clue on how to use a tanpura.

[Radjehuty]

I am sorry I sounded quite harsh. It's just that I find it hard to believe that an artform as beautiful as this would be so rigid as to prevent ingenuity. Perhaps I am missing something? Do you have examples of a good Tambura player we can use as an example?

You may not think her technique is "correct" but wouldn't it also be feasible to simply say her technique is just different? Who knows where she got her lessons from?

[tutonline]

don't worry, I understand whatyou mean, but what puts me off here is that she is defined as 'expert' that's all, otherwise I'm ok if she wants to play it anyway she likes it! this is not 'how to play it' but 'how she plays it', the thing is that if you play it as she does you will get easily tired also, in concerts people have to play the tampura for at least two hours... I'll see if there is any good example to see and let you know!

[tutonline]

there are some reasons why the tanpura has to be played in a few specific position, it depends also on the size of the instrument.

[Radjehuty]

I see your point. This would not be the first time I see a pseudo-expert. I've been doing Origami almost all my life and I've seen origami videos done by people who may have been doing origami just recently and explaining things very crudely.

I am sorry I have misjudged you, I should do research on this instrument when I get the chance.

Thanks!

[tutonline]

don't worry, I also don't like random bad comments and anyone should be free to share here, but I don't like it either when someone is superficial about such a complex tradition as the Indian classical music.

[holikarang]

search for tambura (2) wesleyan, it shows the correct finger position.

[vinayjogdand]

You have been learning Indian Classical Music for 10 years and you don't know how to RESPECTFULLY disagree with people??? so strange and funny. Music also does good "SANSKAR" on an artist learning it.

[holikarang]

I'm sorry but this is how many people have been cheated by fake gurus -often asking for good money- about an art that DOES require respect. I might have sounded harsh, I'm not perfect, but this art takes ages and sometimes lifetimes, I'm so sad when I see it misinterpreted and treated as a children game...

[holikarang]

and I don't disagree, you are wrong, I'm totally offended. I'm one of those who struggle the whole year and save money and time to be able to practice and learn humbly before thinking of teaching. Teaching is a responsibility and this lady should have known, she's not just 'sharing' she's calling herself an 'expert'. This is cheating.

[daysweregolden]

YOU AREEEEEEEEEEE

[daysweregolden]

you gave me a withdrawal wave, thanks a lot you hippie slut

[flaegin]

Man, you are full of hate, I feel sorry for you.

[vladd001]

this is NOT tambura!!!!!!!!!!

don t deceive people telling about things you do not know

[madhumalati]

Ocourse his is tanpura

[ekserchina]

There is a difference in 'tanpura' and 'tambura' or (tamburica)...they're based of the same idea but they sound diffent and they're played different. From what I know the 'tanpura' is famous in India and the 'tambura' or (tamburica) is an instrument from the Balkan area...especially used by Bosniaks and Croats.

[dujak00]

ekserčina... pretpostavljam da si sa nasih balkanskih prostora cim znas o tome... =)

[ekserchina]

Jesam kolega...iz BiH sam. Pozdrav

[wallace1977]

What kind of string do you use on the bridge?