Young Composer Program
Online tanpura
Online tanpura for riyaz
A free tanpura drone in your browser. Choose your Sa, the tuning and the speed, and practise with a steady, shimmering drone.
Tanpura
Tanpura drone
A four-string tanpura for riyaaz: sing or play your swaras against it.
How to use the online tanpura
Choose your Sa (the home note of your voice or instrument), pick the tuning pattern, set the speed and volume, and press Start drone. Sing or play along with the drone, and let it guide your pitch.
Most ragas use the standard Pa tuning. Ragas that leave out Pa, such as Malkauns, are usually practised with Ma tuning, and a few ragas use Ni. If you are unsure, start with Pa.
Finding your Sa
Many men sing comfortably with Sa around C or C♯, and many women around G or G♯, but every voice is different. Choose the Sa where your lowest and highest comfortable notes both feel easy, and ask your teacher to confirm it.
Why practise with a tanpura?
The tanpura's drone keeps the home note in your ear all the time, so you learn to hear every swara in relation to Sa. That is how intonation, and the feeling of each raga, develops. Regular riyaz with a drone is one of the most important habits in Indian classical music.
Frequently asked questions
Is this online tanpura free?
Yes. It is free, runs in your browser and needs no sign-up or download.
Which tuning should I use?
Use Pa for most ragas. Use Ma for ragas without Pa, such as Malkauns. Some ragas use Ni tuning; your teacher will tell you which.
Is it a recording of a real tanpura?
It uses a modelled tanpura sound designed to recreate the characteristic shimmer of the instrument's jawari bridge.
Learn with a teacher
Learn Hindustani music with a teacher
Prism School of Music teaches in Gurgaon, South Delhi and Faridabad, for kids and adults. Start with a free demo.