Monoj Kumar Sardar Sur Tanpura
The sur tanpura of Monoj Kumar Sardar is a compact combination of swarmandal and tanpura. It is a perfect accompaniment instrument for all forms of modal music and also for sound therapy and meditation.
The sur tanpura has 15 strings of different length which can be tuned to a simple scale like a swarmandal or a harp. Gently touching up or down across these strings with the fingers produces a silvery cascade of sound. Additionally the Sur Tanpura has a tanpura bridge with four wound strings running across, allowing for a round and powerful drone sound with a tonic around C. The pitch is that of a male tanpura. However, the much shorter diapasons and the thicker wound strings result in a different tonal colour with a changed overtone spectrum.
Sound sample played on one of our Monoj Kumar Sardar sur tanpura.
The diapason of the tanpura strings is approx. 65 cm. Tuning is made easy by metal tuning pegs for each string. Due to its compact, flat box-shape made of solid wood and the transparent high-gloss synthetic varnish the sur tanpura is sturdy and easy to carry. The instrument comes with a bag, which protects it against dirt and humidity and allows for easy transport with just one hand.
The string vibration on the bridge (and thus the audible overtones) depends upon the curve of the bridge and the tension, thickness and material of the strings. A thread between the string and the bridge allows subtle manipulations of the contact angle. By moving the thread position the buzz of each string can be adjusted individually.
MONOJ KUMAR SARDAR & BROTHERS is a relatively large-scale manufacturer in the heart of Calcutta looking back on a rich tradition of three generations. It is run by four brothers, all of them trained craftsmen specialising in different aspects of instrument making. They mainly make sitars, tanpuras, esrajs, dilrubas, harmoniums and shrutiboxes. But the eldest brother and manager Monoj Kumar will get you every other instrument that is manufactured in India as well. Due to our long-term co-operation with Monoj Kumar Sardar since 1994, we receive instruments with a high quality level in terms of sound, workmanship and materials. Today Monoj Kumar Sardar's quality can well compete with other renowned brands like Hemen and Hiren Roy for string instruments or Pakrashi, Paul and Bina for harmoniums.
With the included strings, the sur tanpura can easily be tuned to key note C. The four thick wound tanpura strings (0,65 mm, twice 0,55 mm and 1,00 mm in diameter) will sound in the following notes: G c c C The 15 playing strings of different length made of steel wire (with a diameter of 0,32 mm) can be accordingly tuned diatonically to common 7-step scales, e.g.: C major: E F G A B c d e f g a b c' d' e' C minor: D# F G G# B c d d# f g g# b c' d' d#' Interesting are also pentatonic scales with doubled notes, e.g.: C major pentatonic: E G A c c d e e g g a c' c' d' e' C minor pentatonic: D# G G A# c c d# f g g a# c' c' d#' d#' Raga Bhupali Todi: D# G G# c c c# d# g g g# c' c' c#' d#' Raga Shivaranjani: D# G G A c c d d# g g a c' c' d' d#' Raga Bhairagi: F G G# c c c# f g g g# c' c' c#' f' The key note may also be tuned to one to two semitones higher or lower than C, if desired. Accordingly, all other notes will shift as well. The melody strings though cannot be tuned higher than ‘f’. With thicker or thinner strings a whole world of other key notes and tunings will become available.
Measure: length 89 cm, width 27 cm, depth 8 cm, diapason tanpura section 65 cm, weight: 2.4 kg
Each instrument is individually hand-crafted and might differ from our description.