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There are a few tools and techniques that are of concern to the dilruba and the esraj.  Some of these are obvious, but some are perhaps not so obvious.  Let us go over some of these here.

 

BASIC TOOLS

There are a number of tools that we will need to maintain and tune our instrument.  We will discuss a number of them here.  These are basically wire cutters, a tuning wrench, and something to refer to for pitch.  There are also a few odds and ends such as chalk and machine oil which are also important.

Wire Cutters - This is essential.  It is also so common that we really do not need to discuss it any further.

 

Tuning Wrench (Mochana or Chutki) - This is a tool which seems to be specific to sarangi, dilruba and esraj.  It is just an extension handle which is used to tune the keys. (See picture at the top of this page.)  This is especially important for the sympathetic strings; the tuning pegs are so close together that it is difficult to tune them with the bare hands.

There are a variety of styles.  They may be made of combinations of wood, metal, or bone.

 

They may be obtained in several ways.  These may be purchased over the internet, or you can make them yourself.  I assure you that any time expended in making one of these will be more than compensated by the ease of tuning the sympathetic strings.

 

Pick - It is very helpful to have a small stick to pluck the sympathetic strings (See picture at the top of this page.).  I find the easiest way to get this is to take a small bamboo skewer and cut it off to a comfortable length.  About four inches seems comfortable.  This is shown in the picture below.

 

 

Ring (Chutta) - The chutta is a small cloth or fibre ring which is usually employed by tabla players.  However, it is a very useful tool for anyone needing to work with an esraj for any length of time.  Many people regularly employ one as a base when actually playing either a dilruba or esraj.

 

The use of the chutta (ring) is really simple.  Just place it beneath the resonator of the esraj and the instrument will not wobble.  Furthermore, it reduces the likelihood that the instrument's finish will be scratched by the floor during tuning or maintenance.

 

GETTING THE CORRECT PITCH

You will need some reference point in order to get the correct pitch.  Attempting to tune the instrument without some reference point is very difficult.  Not only is the instrument very difficult just to tune to itself, but the overall pitch will wander around to such a degree that you will never be able to orient yourself.  Many tools exist which may be used as a reference; we will go over some of them here.

 

Harmonium - The harmonium is probably the most traditional instrument used to help tune the dilruba or the esraj.  For this, you simply have a friend play the desired note while you tune the strings.  Ideally you hold down ONLY the Sa, while you use you own sense of pitch to tune all of the strings in reference to this single tone.  If you do this, they will tend to tune to some harmonically correct tuning (i.e., just intonation), and allow you to avoid the incorrect intervals that accrue from using a tempered scale.

If you feel that you just do not have a sense of pitch which is developed enough to hear all of the notes in relationship to a single tone, you can still do well with a harmonium.  The reason is that the most important strings of the dilruba and the esraj are tuned to either Sa (1st), Pa (5th), or Ma (4th).  It just so happens that there is no significant difference between a natural 4th and a tempered fourth; nor is there a significant difference between a natural 5th and a tempered 5th.  Therefore, a harmonium should work fine for the main playing strings.

It is not really a good idea to use the harmonium as reference for each of the sympathetic strings.  Only the 4th and 5th are the same between the tempered and the just scales.  Maybe the augment 5th is chalable (isn't chalable a nice Hind-lish word?).  Unfortunately, tuning the rest of the sympathetics to the tempered scale of the harmonium is a somewhat less than desirable approach.

Although tuning the dilruba or esraj with the assistance of the harmonium is the most traditional approach, we must not forget that there are problems.  One obvious problem is cost.  If you do not already own a harmonium, it is foolish to go out and purchase one just for this purpose.  There is also the problem that most harmoniums are not correct to international pitch.  They are not tuned to any particular standard.  They usually tend to run about half of a semitone (50 cents) higher than international pitch.  But they can be anywhere!  This lack of standardisation will make things very difficult when you try to adjust to other musicians.

 

Tuning Fork - A tuning fork may be a more accurate reference if you want international pitch.  However lets face it; it is SO 19th century!

 

Electronic Tuner - A digital tuner (chromatic) is a very handy tool.  Today they are inexpensive and extremely accurate.  They come with a variety of options.

 

It is important to know what to look for in a tuner.  The most common versions are guitar tuners and chromatic tuners.  It is important to understand the distinction.

You will need to purchase a chromatic tuner.  A chromatic tuner is designed to accurately tune to any of the notes of the chromatic scale.  The chromatic scale is of course C, C#, D, D#, E, F, G, G#, A, A#, and B.

When purchasing a tuner, one should not get confused and buy a guitar tuner.  This is an easy mistake to make, because guitar tuners are much more common than chromatic tuners.  The guitar tuner only makes provisions for tuning to E, A, D, G, B, and again E.  Although this is obviously less flexible than a chromatic tuner, it is much easier for guitarists to use.  Lets face it, there are an lot of guitarists out there, and mighty few dilruba and esraj players.

It should be pointed out that there are tuners specific to a number of other instruments, these include violin, mandolin, bass guitar, and a host of other instruments.  But they do not have nearly the popularity of the chromatic or guitar tuners.  They are also unsuitable for our purposes.

If you use an electronic tuner, you should consider what it is doing with your brain.  To be more precise, you need to be concerned with what it is NOT doing to your brain.  We must never forget that the act of tuning our instrument is not just a question of setting the instrument to the correct pitch, but we are also tuning our mind to perform in a particular modality.  When we are tuning our instrument, especially when we are tuning the sympathetic strings, we are getting ourselves in tune with the rag that we are going to play.  When you simply read off the LED display of a tuner, this process of "getting into the rag" just does not happen.  This is one reason why many modern tuners also give you the option of playing an audible tone.  The act of comparing this audible tone to the sound of your instrument, is a much better exercise for the music student.  Furthermore, if you are attentive to only playing Sa through the tuner, then it also makes it much easier to tune the sympathetic strings to just intonation rather than a tempered scale.

 

Electronic Tanpuras / Sur Peti - An electronic tanpura or sur peti, is a great little item to have.  Not only is it helpful in tuning, but it is a great accompaniment for both practice and performance.  We must not forget that the frets of the esraj and dilruba are only hints as to where the fingers are supposed to go.  Ultimately, you have to use your ears to know where the fingers are really supposed to be.  It is much easier to do this if you have the nice rich drone of a tanpura going in the background.  Obviously a real tanpura is ideal, and is certainly preferred for stage; but it is not at all practical for day-to-day practice.

 

There is one aspect of the electronic tanpura that should be considered.  Some electronic tanpuras have their key fixed according to the international pitch; that is to say that they have fixed intonations of A, A#, B, C etc.  Other electronic tanpuras have continuously variable pitches.  Continuously variable pitches may be great for harmonium players, but they are not really what we want.  It is much better for a dilruba or esraj player to have an electronic tanpura which is hard-wired to output a fixed international pitch.

 

Tanpura Recordings - The tanpura recording is a cost effective alternative to the electronic tanpura.  We must not forget that if we are playing a dilruba or esraj, we will not need to have the ability to to play every key.  If we string our instrument as most people do, then a C# is all we ever really need.  Therefore, we can purchase just a recording of tanpura for that pitch.  Everyone has a boom box, so in a sense, slipping a tanpura CD into a boom box converts it into an electronic tanpura.  This approach is better than an electronic tanpura in the sense that it will have a much more natural sound, and it will only cost a fraction of the price of an electronic tanpura.

 

Tanpura recordings are not without their shortcomings.  For harmonium players, the inability to continuously change their pitch makes them unable to accommodate the non-standard tunings of many harmoniums.  But for us, this fixed pitch is an asset.  There is also the problem that when you get to the end of a track, you have to hit the return button to start again.  (Our Tanpura CDs have tracks that are half-an-hour long.  Therefore, that should not be too much of a problem.)  There is also the issue of key.  If you should find yourself in a position to need all the keys, the cost of a complete set of CDs becomes comparable to buying an electronic tanpura.  Again this is generally not a consideration for us.  If we were to get three CDs in C, C#, and D they would cover every key that our instrument is able to tune to.  (One can of course alter the key of the instrument by altering the strings; this was discussed a great length in "The Right String for the Right Job").  In practice a single CD is all that most dilruba and esraj players need.

We have discussed a great length the tools which help the dilruba or esraj player establish the pitch.  Although this pretty much covers most of the things that we need, there are still a few odd items that we need to have.

 

MICS ITEMS.

Chalk - Most dilrubas and esrajs, use friction pegs for the sympathetic strings.  For friction pegs, it is always a good idea to put chalk on them; this keeps them from slipping.  Furthermore, when you buy a new instrument, there are always questions concerning how well the pegs fits into the holes.  Over time, the holes and the pegs will wear each other to the extent that the fit is very good.  Chalk is slightly abrasive and will facilitate this breaking-in process.

 

Oil - It is a good idea to have a light oil to put on the mechanical tuners.  This is not for reasons of friction, we actually want friction because it holds the strings to a fixed pitch.  The real reason for using oil is that we are never sure what kind of metal is being used for the mechanical tuners.  There is a strong possibility that these mechanisms will be susceptible to rust.  If you keep a slight coating of machine oil on the mechanism, it will guard against this.

We have covered the tools and items that you will need for the tuning and maintenance of your dilruba or esraj.  At this point, it is necessary to look at some of the techniques used in stringing and tuning your instrument.

 

STRINGING

It is obvious that stringing our instrument requires us to have the string fixed at both ends.  It must be fixed at the base and it must be fixed at the tuning mechanism.  Let us look at these in greater detail.

 

Fixing a Guitar String at the Base (Dilruba) - If we are using guitar or cello strings it is such a trivial matter that I am almost embarrassed to take the time to discuss it here.  These strings have a small eyelet attached at the end.  All that one has to do is to slip the string in through the base.  That is all, there is to it.  This is shown in the figure below.  Not only is it easy to attach in this manner, it is also easy to remove.  This is very important if you find that it is necessary to change your strings often in order to temporarily change the key of your instrument.

 

Fixing a Guitar String at the Base (Esraj) - Attaching guitar strings with the eyelet to the base of the esraj is very simple.  But the issue is not whether it is easy or hard, but whether we really want to do it or not.  We must remember that the base of the dilruba is reminiscent of the sarangi, while the base of the esraj is actually closer to that of sitar or saringda.  Therefore, we have considerably less area at the base to work with.  The eyelets may be simple, but they do take considerably more space than a simple string.

There is a good general rule to use when attaching strings to the esraj.  If we have no plans to remove the string, it is probably better to just cut the eyelet off and attach the strings in the traditional manner.  On the other hand, if we think that we may need to switch out the string (e.g., main playing string and the Sa playing string), then we may wish to use the technique described here.

Step 1 - Take the end with the eyelet

 

Step 2 - Pass the loose end of the string into the hole in the eyelet.  This makes a noose.

 

Step 3 - Slip the noose over the post (Mogara) at the end, or any other mounting area.  It is done!

 

Fixing a Simple String to the Base (Dilruba) - There is a traditional means of a fixing the string at the base of the dilruba.  This will be used when you have strings which do not have the eyelet attached to the end of the string.

Most people will use this approach when attaching the sympathetic strings.  The reason for this is primarily economic.  If you use guitar strings for all of the sympathetics strings, this is going to cost a lot of money.  It is much more economical to simply buy a spool of string and cut it to the lengths that you want.  Although this saves a lot of money, it does mean that your strings will not have an eyelet at the end.  Therefore, you will have to pay some attention as to how to mount it.

Mounting the string in a traditional fashion is done in this manner:

Step 1 - Take the string and insert it from the back side.  One only needs for it to protrude a few inches.

 

Step 2 - Pull the back portion around to the front.  Bring it in close proximity to the short protruding end.

 

Step 3 - Make a bend of about 3/4th of an inch.  Wrap this bent section over the string from the back

 

Step 4 - Insert the bent string back into the hole.

Step 5 - Pull tight.

 

That is all there is to it!  The finished attachment should look like the picture below:

 

Fixing a Simple String at the Base (Esraj) - Fixing the string to the base of the esraj is accomplished by attaching the string to one or more posts which protrude from the base.  This is accomplished very simply.

Step 1- Take an end of the string.

 

Step 2 - Bend it around the barrel of a pen or any similar cylindrical object.  It is a good idea to make sure that the object has a diameter which is slightly greater than the post to which you will be attaching the string

 

Step 3 - Repeatedly wrap the short loose end around the main body of the string.  This will form a noose.

 

Step 4. Cut off the loose end.  Try and cut this flush to the noose; this will minimise cuts and pricks at a later date.

 

Step 4 - Place noose over the loose end of post.

 

Step 5 - Tighten as usual.

 

Fixing the String to the Friction Peg - There is a traditional way of attaching the string to the friction peg.

Step 1 - Determine how much excess string you are going to need.  Estimate the length that you will need to extend all the way to the friction peg; and then mentally add about 6 inches.  Cut off any excess.

Step 2 - Insert the string to into the hole in the peg.

 

Step 3 - Bend the string back around to go into the hole once more.

 

Step 4 - Reinsert into the same hole, and from the same direction as previously done.

 

Make a sharp bend in the string about 3/4ths of an inch from the end.

 

Pull the remaining string tight.

 

There is one thing that we must keep in mind whenever we deal with friction pegs.  THE TUNING PEGS ARE NOT INTERCHANGEABLE! Always remember which hole each individual tuning peg came from and make sure that it goes back into the same hole.

 

Attaching the String to the Mechanical Tuner (permanent) - There is a way that is usually used to attach the string to the mechanical tuner when you want the string permanently fixed.

Step 1 - Insert the string through the hole in the mechanical tuner.

 

Step 2 - Twist the string around itself a few times.

 

Step 3 - Then tighten

 

This approach has advantages and disadvantages.  The biggest advantage is that it is an east way to make a good firm connection to the mechanical tuner.  It also does not leave sharp ends of strings poking out in random directions.  Such ends can cause you to lose a fair amount of blood through assorted pricks.  The main disadvantage is that it is very difficult to remove the a string without damaging it.  Therefore, it is unsuitable in situations where you anticipate changing the strings in order to change the key.

Attaching the String to the Mechanical Tuner (Temporary) - If you anticipate changing the strings periodically, there is a way to attach the string so that it may be removed without damaging it.  To begin with, make sure that you are using a string which has an eyelet mounted on the base to facilitate easy attachment and removal on the lower side side.  To facilitate the removal on the upper side, you must not wind the string around itself before tightening.  Simply inset the string; then tune as usual.  This approach has the advantage that the string may be put on and taken off an indefinite number of times without damaging it.  This allows you to have a number of strings at your disposal, each one appropriate for the different keys in which you may be required to play.

 

 

TIGHTENING THE STRINGS

When one is tightening the strings there are a few things to keep in mind.  Here we discuss which way to turn the pegs as well as the topic of the settling in of the strings.

 

Counter Clockwise or Clockwise? - One should be attentive as to whether a string is tightened by a clockwise or a counter-clockwise turn of the key.  There are plenty of people who will tell you that one way is better than another.  I have tried all ways, and it seems to me that a counter clockwise turn of the pegs is best for tightening the sympathetic strings.  I do not believe that it makes much of a difference for the mechanical tuners.

I have seen a number of cases where the default tuning of the mechanical keys is opposite the tuning for the sympathetic strings.  If one looks very closely at the mechanisms used, there is a certain logic behind this.  However, I feel that having some keys turn clockwise and others turn counter-clockwise is just too awkward.  This is especially the case when you have several dilrubas and esrajs.  When you are on stage, you already have so many things to concern yourself with that you really do not need the added considerations of which keys, on which instruments, turn in which directions.  I have standardised all of my instruments to tighten with a counter-clockwise turn of the pegs.  This works for me but you are certainly free to pursue any approach that you like.

 

Settling In - Whenever you replace a string, any string, for any reason, it takes a certain amount of time for the string to settle in.  You can minimise this time by pulling the string sharply up as you tune it for the first time.  Admittedly this does put strain on the string and carries some risk of breaking.  But the time saved in reducing the settling-in time, more than compensates for this risk.

 

Positioning the Sympathetic Strings (Esraj) - It is important that the sympathetic strings be correctly positioned for the esraj.  This is one consideration that esraj players have to contend with that dilruba players do not.  As the sympathetic strings wind around the friction peg, there is a correct position that one must be attentive to.  If a string wraps around the friction peg too high, it will hit against the number 4 (drone) string.  Conversely, if it winds around too low, then it will hit against one of the frets.  Neither situation is acceptable, because the sympathetic strings must traverse a fairly narrow space between the frets and the playing strings.

There is a trick that works very nicely; it will allow you to position the sympathetic stings in whatever position you want and do it quite neatly.  For this trick, all you need to do is to hold the small wooden pick in whatever angle you wish the strings to go to, then roughly tighten the pegs.  You can move the pick alternately to the top side, as well as the bottom side.  This will allow you to ease the strings into both their correct pitch, as well as their correct position.

 

Winding the Sympathetic Strings (Esraj) - The esraj has another issue to deal with when tightening the strings; that is the exact manner in which the strings wrap around the friction peg.  We must not forget that the sympathetic strings of the esraj do not have an upper bridge; for all practical purposes, it is the friction pegs which are the upper bridge.  It only stands to reason that the conditions of the strings as they wrap around the friction pegs will have a major impact upon the sound that the sympathetic stings provide.

The bottom line is simple.  Do not let the sympathetic strings wind around the friction peg in some random fashion, or your sound from these stings will be unpredictable.  We must make sure that the sympathetic strings are unimpeded by any other string at the point where it comes off of the peg.  A good approach is to first wind the strings around the peg in a normal fashion, but just before the string begins to traverse the span to the lower bridge, at that point, pull the winding away form the other loops.  If you can keep the string away from the winding at that point, you increase the chances of obtaining a good clear sound.

 

CONCLUSION

we looked at the tools and techniques used for tuning an esraj or a dilruba.  When these points have been considered against related topic s of the strings as well as the approach to tuning, then we have a fairly complete grasp of the subject.

STRINGING AND TUNING THE DILRUBA AND ESRAJ       Section 1 - Introduction       Section 2 - Basic Concepts of Tuning       Section 3 - The Right String for the Right Job       Section 4 - Tools and Techniques

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This page last updated July 7, 2008
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