Virtual Instrument Museum

Images

	Sarangi Image 1 1000 x 612 780 x 472
	Sarangi Image 2 1000 x 612 780 x 472

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Name: Sarangi

Geographic Region: South Asia

Country of origin: India

Classification: Chordophone

Material:

• Wood
• Steel
• Skin (goat)
• Brass
• Leather
• Horsehair
• Ivory (elephant tusk)
• Gut
• Bone

SvH No.: 321.322

Related Instruments:

• Tabla
• Sarod

Genres:

• Hindustani

Author: Dave Fossum
           

Related Web Sites:

• New Grove India
• New Grove Sarangi

Physical description | Tuning and technique | History and context | References

Physical description

The sarangi is a short-necked bowed chordophone found in India and Pakistan. Although there are a number of varieties of bowed chordophones in India, many of which are called by the name “sarangi” or a related word, the example shown here is a classical sarangi used in the art music of North India.

The classical sarangi has a very complex construction. There are often up to 36 brass or steel sympathetic strings, which are not fingered or bowed, but resonate when a matching pitch is bowed on one of the three gut playing strings. The body is usually carved out of a single piece of wood, and is covered by a goat skin. There is no fingerboard; the neck is hollow and serves as a pegbox into which a number of the sypathetic strings are inserted. Above the neck is a pegbox for the three main playing strings and a few more of the sympathetic strings. There are several bone bridges, but the main one is carved in the shape of an elephant (see “Sarangi Image 2” above) and rests on a leather strap across the top of the body, causing the goat skin to resonate. The three playing strings lie over the top of the bridge, while the sympathetic strings run through it. The bow which is used for exciting the playing strings is made with horse hair.

Tuning and technique

The first (highest-pitched) and third (lowest-pitched) playing strings are tuned to sa, a note equivalent to do (tonic) in the western system. The second string is tuned a 4th below the first string. The sympathetic strings are tuned to the various notes found in the particular piece being performed; one set of sympathetic strings may also be tuned to the twelve subdivisions of the octave. The player of the sarangi sits on the ground, with legs folded, and holds the instrument against his left shoulder. The notes are fingered with the fingernails of the left hand, and the bow is held in an underhand fashion with the right hand.

History and context

There is evidence that the sarangi was originally a folk instrument, but was imported into classical music in the 18th century, and is still associated with folk music as well. Because of the difficulty of playing the sarangi, as well as stigma attached to it, the prominence of the sarangi has been diminishing over the last century within art music contexts.

Originally an instrument used for accompaniment, the sarangi is now sometimes performed as a solo instrument in concerts.

References

Qureshi, Regula et al. “India.” Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online. 26 Mar. 2009. http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/subscriber/article/grove/music/43272

Sorrell, Neil. “Sāraṅgī.” Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online. 26 Mar. 2009. http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/subscriber/article/grove/music/24581

Last Modified: 03-Apr-2009