Indian classical music has wide variety of instruments, each having its own unique sound and style. Instruments are often categorized into four primary types based on how they produce sound: stringed (or chordophones), wind (aerophones), percussion (membranophones), and metallic (idiophones).
- Stringed instruments – The Tata Vadya or Chordophones.
- Wind instruments – The Sushira Vadya or Aerophones.
- Percussion instruments – The Avanaddha Vadya or Membranophones.
- Metallic instruments – The Ghana Vadya or Idiophones are solid instruments that do not require tuning.
1. String Instruments (Chordophones)
- Sitar: Known for its long neck and multiple strings, the sitar produces a distinctive, resonant sound. It’s frequently used in both Hindustani (North Indian) and some forms of Carnatic (South Indian) music.
- Sarod: Smaller and deeper in tone than the sitar, the sarod has a smooth fingerboard, allowing for sliding notes. It’s primarily used in Hindustani music.
- Veena: An ancient South Indian instrument, the veena has a long, hollow neck and is associated with Carnatic music.
- Santoor: Played with small wooden mallets, the santoor is a Kashmiri instrument that produces a sweet, melodic sound.
- Tanpura: Often used as a background instrument, the tanpura provides a harmonic drone that supports other instruments and vocals.
2. Wind Instruments (Aerophones)
- Bansuri: The bamboo flute, particularly popular in Hindustani music, known for its breathy, natural sound. It’s closely associated with the deity Krishna.
- Harmonium: Its like a small portable keyboard of music instrument. It is often used in devotional music like Bhajan, Bharud, bhav geet, bhaktigeet etc. as it can provide consistent background music. You have to pump it with your hands to create music.
- Shehnai: A reed instrument with a nasal tone, the shehnai is used in weddings and auspicious ceremonies, especially in North India.
- Nadaswaram: The South Indian counterpart of the shehnai, the nadaswaram is louder and is used in temple festivals and traditional weddings.
3. Percussion Instruments (Membranophones)
- Tabla: A pair of hand drums , tabla is essential in Hindustani music and is known for its complex rhythms and tonal flexibility.
- Mridangam: A double-headed drum, the mridangam is central to Carnatic music, producing deep and resonant sounds.
- Pakhawaj: A precursor to the tabla, the pakhawaj is used in Dhrupad, an ancient form of Hindustani music, and produces a more bass-heavy sound.
- Ghatam: A clay pot used as a percussion instrument in Carnatic music, the ghatam is played by striking its sides with fingers, palms, and knuckles.
4. Metallic Instruments (Idiophones)
- Manjira: Small metal cymbals, often used to keep time in bhajans (devotional songs) and folk music.
- Kartal: Handheld wooden blocks or clappers with cymbals attached, popular in devotional music for adding rhythm.
- Jaltarang: An instrument comprising a series of porcelain or metal bowls filled with water, tuned to specific notes and played by tapping.
These instruments each bring unique textures and tones to Indian classical music, creating the distinctive and intricate soundscapes that define the genre. In your blog, you might also touch on the role of each instrument in different classical music styles, such as Hindustani and Carnatic, as well as their evolution in contemporary music.
