Construction and Way of Playing

The Shrutibox, also called Surpeti, produces a sustained and resonant drone similar to the Harmonium. This instrument is very easy to handle and requires hardly any playing skills. It is mainly used for accompanying singing (overtone singing, chanting etc.). Its functioning is very similar to the harmonium, it does not, however, have a keyboard. On both sides of the instrument bellows can be released. The top of the opened bellows is pumped by hand. Inside the instrument, air is pressed through metal reeds which are set vibrating by this. They produce the appropriate sound when the corresponding valve on the outside of the instrument has been opened. 12 chromatic notes of an octave can be selected by opening the valves and thus make the adjustment to the singing voice possible. For a beautiful, sonorous sound it is recommended to select also the corresponding fifth of the keynote or the lower fourth. But you can also choose any combination of chords you like. When playing the note c, the octave is achieved by opening the 13th valve.

For playing, the two bellows that are concealed at the front and the back of the instrument have to be released. After that, the valves have to be released or opened by turning the white levers sideways. In doing this, a single drone or, by combining several valves, full chords can be produced. The pair of bellows that is opening out at the top is continuously pumped with one hand by which air gets through the body of the instrument and into the second pair of bellows. While doing this, the tone that you have defined by opening the valves, is resonating. You can control the volume a little by pumping more gently or more strongly. Because of the easy handling, you can play the instrument in any desired position, even while walking. You can run a shoulder strap through the upper handle of the instrument.

TARANG offers a smaller and a bigger Shrutibox model by the manufacturer Monoj Kumar Sardar as well as a small model made from teak wood. All three have a tonal range of 13 chromatic semitones from C to c each, which can be opened separately and thus can be combined in whatever way you like. For details please see the corresponding product pages.

If you want to use the Shrutibox together with western instruments that have a fixed tuning which cannot be adjusted to the Shrutibox that is tuned slightly higher, please let us know when ordering and inform us of the exact tuning pitch you require. The Shrutibox is often not tuned to the standard tuning pitch A with 440 Hertz, but a little higher, to A 442 Hertz. The difference can in some cases also be somewhat bigger either up or down. When the instrument is being played together with other instruments, some problems might arise.