Tirupati Kirtan Classic
The Tirupati Kirtan Classic is a good choice for beginners and kirtan singers. Its main features are equivalent to our Paloma Kirtan Classic, the 23 B from Bina, as well as other similar models of other brands. Tirupati uses particularly high-quality materials though.
Thanks to Krishna Das or Jai Uttal, the design with fold-down bellows, integrated case, double reeds and simple stick keys is a classic in the western kirtan scene. Its simplicity makes it both inexpensive and robust. Double reeds, octave couplerand three drone notes provide a full, brilliant sound. The folding mechanism makes it so compact that you can still carry it with just one hand.
"BONUS: One month free online access to comprehensive harmonium teaching material at the Bhakti Breakfast Club with harmonium purchase!" - more info here!
Sound sample Tirupati Kirtan Classic
- complete melodic range with both registers
- three-note chords in middle range
- complete melodic range with both registers without cover (jali)
- 42 simple stick keys
- range of three and a half octaves from C to F
- two reeds in middle and low register for each note
- low (bass) register C2 - F5, middle (male) register C3 - F6
- 3 register stops for separate or combined use of middle and low register
- 3 stops for drone notes
- higher octave coupler for particularly bright sound
- multiple fold external bellows with side opening
- removable cover with opening option (jali) over key mechanism
- folding mechnism into integrated case
- cabinet made of pine wood
- incl. padded bag
Pine wood is the first choice for harmoniums around Delhi and in North Western India. It is much softer than teak wood, which is more common in Mumbai and Calcutta. Therefore pinewood harmoniums often get little dents or scratches during manufacturing, storage or transit to Europe. Such marks are a natural property of the wood and can not be seen as flaws or defects.
TIRUPATI is the international brand name for instruments from Sharma Musicals in Ghaziabad, a neighbouring city of Delhi. Sharma Musicals was founded in 1934 by Jagdish Prasad Sharma and is today one of the leading Indian harmonium makers. The current manager Mayank Sharma runs the business in the fourth generation. Thanks to solid infrastructure, long experience and good quality awareness, Sharma Musicals is a reliable supplier of all harmonium models typical of Delhi and North-West India. In 2014 and the following years, instruments from Sharma Musicals had temporarily been sold in the USA under the name Bhava Harmonium and were recommended by renowned kirtan teacher Daniel Tucker back then. Sharma Musicals is a partner of India Instruments since 2016.
In India, our harmoniums are tuned to international concert pitch of a = 440 hertz. In Europe, however, they usually sound slightly higher at a = 441 to 442 Hertz due to the colder climate. The difference is small and not necessarily noticeable even to trained ears.
On request we can tune exactly to 440 hertz for 28 € additional charge.
Tuning to 432 hertz is also possible by arrangement for an additional charge.
NOTE:
Air temperature and blowing pressure influence the vibration frequency of harmonium reeds. At higher temperature and higher pressure, it decreases; at lower temperature, it increases. In our workshop in Berlin we tune at room temperature around 20 degrees Celsius.
Measure (closed case): height 18 cm, width 60 cm, depth 31 cm, weight: 10 kg
Each instrument is individually hand-crafted and might differ from our description.
