Instruments at the Museum

Tanpura

The tanpura is a long necked plucked lute, a stringed instrument found in different versions in different places. In its bodily shape somewhat resembles the sitar, but it has no frets, as only the open strings are played as a harmonic accompaniment to the other musicians. It has four or five (rarely, six) wire strings, which are plucked one after another in a regular pattern to create a harmonic resonance on the basic note (bourdon or drone function).