Choose your Sa, the first string (Pa, Ma or Ni) and a tempo, then press Start. The four strings are synthesized live with a buzzing jawari, so the drone never loops, never stops and works offline once the page is open.
Last updated:
C#Sa = 138.59 Hz
Space bar starts and stops. Changes apply while it plays.
Key (Sa)
Tuning
First string
Sound
Instrument
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How to use the Tanpura Drone
Pick your Sa from the 12 key buttons. Men often sing with Sa around C to D, women around G to A#.
Choose the first string: Pa for most ragas, Ma for ragas without Pa (such as Malkauns or Bageshree), Ni for ragas like Marwa or Puriya.
Press Start drone (or the space bar). The strings play in the classic order: first string, Sa, Sa, low Sa.
Adjust tempo, jawari and reverb while it plays until it feels right, and fine tune if your harmonium or instrument is slightly off 440 Hz.
Set a sleep timer if you want the drone to fade out on its own at the end of your riyaz.
Tanpura keys: Western names, harmonium names and frequencies
The frequencies below are for the Medium octave with A4 = 440 Hz. Low halves them and High doubles them. Many singers name their Sa by the harmonium key, where white and black keys are counted from C.
Sa
Harmonium name
Sa (Hz)
Low Pa (Hz, 3/4)
Low Ma (Hz, 2/3)
Typical voice
C
White 1
130.81
98.11
87.21
Lower male
C#
Black 1
138.59
103.94
92.39
Male
D
White 2
146.83
110.12
97.89
Male
D#
Black 2
155.56
116.67
103.71
Higher male
E
White 3
164.81
123.61
109.87
Higher male
F
White 4
174.61
130.96
116.41
Low female / high male
F#
Black 3
185.00
138.75
123.33
Low female
G
White 5
196.00
147.00
130.67
Female
G#
Black 4
207.65
155.74
138.43
Female
A
White 6
220.00
165.00
146.67
Female
A#
Black 5
233.08
174.81
155.39
Higher female
B
White 7
246.94
185.21
164.63
Higher female
How the four strings are tuned
A standard four-string tanpura is plucked in a fixed order, slowly and evenly, so that each string is still ringing when the next one sounds:
First string: Pa (the fifth) of the lower octave for most ragas, Ma (the fourth) for ragas without Pa, or Ni (the seventh) for ragas such as Marwa.
Second and third strings: middle Sa, your chosen key. They are tuned in unison; the tiny difference between two real strings gives the gentle beating you hear.
Fourth string: kharaj, the Sa one octave lower, thicker and longer ringing.
In natural (just) intonation the low Pa is exactly 3/4 of Sa, low Ma 2/3 and low Ni 15/16. In equal temperament they are 5, 7 and 1 semitones below Sa (factors 0.7492, 0.6674 and 0.9439), as on a keyboard.
Practice tips
Start each session with long, steady notes on Sa (kharaj and middle) and listen for the moment your voice blends into the drone.
A slower tempo (5 to 7 seconds per cycle) suits alaap and meditation; a faster one (3 to 4 seconds) gives a busier backing for fast passages.
Headphones help you hear the overtones of the jawari, which contain Ga, Pa and other notes you can tune against.
Use the fine tune slider to match an instrument that is not tuned to A4 = 440 Hz, such as an old harmonium.
Frequently asked questions
What is a tanpura drone?
A tanpura (tambura) is the long-necked string instrument that provides the constant background drone in Indian classical music. It usually has four strings tuned to the first note, Sa, and to Pa, Ma or Ni, which are plucked one after another in a continuous cycle. Singers and instrumentalists tune their voice to it and use it to hear whether each note is in tune.
Which key (Sa) should I choose?
Choose the pitch where your voice is comfortable both in the lower and the upper octave. As a rough guide, many male singers use C, C# or D, and many female singers use G, G#, A or A#. If you have a harmonium, White 1 is C, Black 1 is C#, White 2 is D and so on, and this tool shows those names under each key.
When do I use Pa, Ma or Ni tuning?
Use Pa for most ragas. Ragas that omit Pa, for example Malkauns, Bageshree or Hindol, are usually accompanied with the first string tuned to Ma. Ragas in which Pa is omitted and Ni is prominent, such as Marwa and Puriya, are often played with Ni. You can also switch the first string off to hear only Sa.
What is jawari?
Jawari is the carefully shaped bridge of the tanpura. Because the string grazes the curved bridge, it produces the rich, buzzing, shimmering overtones that make a tanpura sound alive. The Jawari slider controls how strongly those overtones swirl in this synthesized tanpura; turn it down for a softer, plainer string sound.
Should I use just intonation or equal temperament?
A real tanpura is tuned by ear to pure intervals, so Pa is exactly 3/2 of Sa and Ma exactly 4/3. That is natural (just) intonation and it is the default here. Choose equal temperament only if you practise alongside a keyboard or harmonium and want the first string to match it exactly; the difference for Pa is only about 2 cents.
Does the drone keep playing in the background?
Yes. The sound is scheduled a couple of seconds ahead, so it keeps going while you switch tabs or turn the screen down on most computers. On phones, some browsers pause audio when the screen locks, so keep the screen on during practice.
Does this tanpura use recordings?
No. Each pluck is synthesized in your browser from a set of harmonics with a moving jawari formant, so nothing is downloaded and the drone never repeats a recorded loop.
Are all the tools on FreeToolCabin tested for quality and accuracy?
Yes! Every tool on our site undergoes automated Q/A testing in real browser environments to ensure high precision, correct output, and zero errors. If you happen to spot a bug or have a suggestion, please contact us at [email protected] and our team will review it right away.