Our new tanpura installs as an upgrade to your existing RiyazStudio installation - or it can also be installed on its own.
It's a partially free upgrade for existing users; if you wish to load Tanpura 'User Settings' (currently named after different raags) you'll require an additional level of registration.
Click here to download the new tanpura.
RiyazStudio's new Tanpura provides a range of different accompaniments - from rich "vocal" (Tanpura 1, 2 and 3) to silvery "instrumental"
(Tanpura 4) - with controls to enhance or suppress harmonics to match the raag or mood you're evoking.
Switch between the different tanpuras by clicking the red tanpura number (...) or by tapping 'T' or F1-F4
The 'extra treble tanpura' option sets up an additional treble tanpura sequence shadowing the main tanpura at a slightly faster tempo.
The 'Bass' control gives the tanpura a bit more 'oomphf'. Leave it off for playing a silvery ethereal
accompaniment (especially with Tanpura4 'Treble') that will only minimally impinge on your voice or instrument.
The 'Jawari' control places cotton under the string of non-Sa notes for enriched harmonics.
Switch it off to hear a more pure note; if you don't want extra harmonics. This control has no effect on Sa (which is always played with jawari) - or on Tanpura4 (also always played with jawari because its notes are quite short).
The 'Re' control allows the Re harmonic on the Pa tanpura string to shine out (when played with Jawari) - for raags that demand it.
The intonation control lets you select between 'harsher' and 'softer' tunings for Ni, ni, da, re and ga. RiyazStudio's tanpura uses 'just intonation' - with the frequencies of different notes in simple ratios to each other - but
there's more than one 'just intonation' set of tunings.
Hold the mouse over this icon for a tool-tip telling you exactly the tuning being used.
Alt-click to switch to manual tuning control of the first note in the tanpura sequence.
Set the tanpura plucking rate in 'beats per minute'. Or adjust using the up/down arrow keys - while the tabla isn't playing
The 'pluck' control (levels 0 - 9) sets the initial loudness of the pluck of each string.
A typical default level is 4. At level 0 the tanpura stroke fades-in gradually with no discernable 'attack'. Or adjust by holding Ctrl and pressing the up/down arrow keys
The first 8 preset note combinations (Sa, SaPa, SaMa ... Sare) and the next 4 rhythmic options (rhythA slow ... rhythB fast) are a free upgrade to existing Standard
and/or Semi-Classical registration owners.
Please note: we don't think particular raags 'ought' to be accompanied only by a setting of the same name - often you'll choose a
more standard SaPa or SaMa accompaniment. Treat the 'tanpura user settings' more as examples of the range of different 'soundscapes' you can create with the new tanpura.
Practice examples using "tanpura user settings" for different raags:
As with our original tanpura, you can play a drone alongside the tanpura, but now we also use the drone selection to modify the
tanpura to match it (even if the drone is 'unchecked' and silent):
Sa or SaMa drone selections dampen the Pa harmonic on the Sa string of the tanpura, and also slightly lower the
tuning of shuddhe Da (when it's played) to best blend with Sa and Ma. With a SaPa drone both these effects are reversed.
(to play a sharper shuddhe Da currently requires both the SaPa drone to be selected AND the control to be switched ON)
You can also create and edit your own 'tanpura user settings' with the User Setting controls at the top RiyazStudio window. (if this isn't visible click the top-right 'show user setting controls' button)
Another feature is the 'recording' of your own tanpura sequences using the number keys (of the standard PC keyboard):
Play your sequence (1=Sa ... 5=Pa ... 7=Ni ... 8=high Sa ... 9=high Re, holding Ctrl for komal or tivra notes) then hit
Enter to make RiyazStudio repeat it (or Backspace to start again).
RiyazStudio remembers not just the notes you played, but also their tempo and rhythm.
Use the up/down arrow keys to adjust the tanpura tempo (while the tabla isn't playing).
If the notes you play match one of our preset patterns, RiyazStudio will use your new rhythm for all preset patterns.
If the notes you play don't match a preset pattern, RiyazStudio sets up a temporary 'User' Tanpura entry for it.
The different tanpuras and how to use them:
('Combination') uses both 'Bass' and 'Tenor' strings - using Tanpura2 ('Bass') for low Sa (and Re) and Tanpura3 ('Tenor') for higher notes.
('Bass') has rich rattling harmonics.
('Tenor') has strong cascading harmonics.
If Jawari is switched off then Tanpuras 1, 2 & 3 all use the same non-jawari sound for non-Sa notes.
('Treble') plays distinguishable notes an octave higher. Having a shorter duration and weaker harmonics, it is good for setting up
interesting note sequences that would clash too much played with other tanpuras.
With the 'Bass' control OFF, it's also good for playing a silvery accompaniment that will only
minimally impinge on the main instruments.
With Jawari on, Tanpura1 ('Combination'), Tanpura2 ('Bass') and Tanpura3 ('Tenor') have a strong perfect 5th harmonic above the note actually played - good for
setting up characteristic note pairs (sometimes Vadi / Samvadi) for particular Raags - for example:
SaDa
Da sounds Ga
Marwa
Drone set to Sa for correct Da intonation and suppression of Pa harmonic
Sada
da sounds ga
Malkauns / chandrakauns / todi
'Harsh' tuning ON
Sare
re sounds da
Bhairav
SaNi
Ni sounds tivra Ma
Pooriya
Sani
ni sounds Ma
Jog
'Harsh' tuning ON for correct Ma tuning
Saga
ga sounds ni
Bhimpalasi
OFF for higher ni
Of course, you can also 'play' (as described above) your own note sequences of up to 64 notes. For instance:
PaniSaSaSa for Megh Malhar (with and both ON - gives harmonics on Re and Ma)
RiyazStudio's Just Intonation scales
The button switches between 'harsh' and 'soft' Just Intonation scales. (or you can hold the Alt key and click to switch to manual tuning control)
Press to play
Sargam
C=Sa
soft tuning
harsh tuning
1
Sa
C
1
the tonic
2 + Ctrl
komal Re
Db
16/15
(+12 cents)
256/243
(-10 cents)
2
Re
D
9/8
(+4 cents)
3 + Ctrl
komal Ga
Eb
6/5
(+16 cents)
32/27
(-6 cents);
3
Ga
E
5/4
(-14 cents)
4
Ma
F
4/3
(-2 cents)
4 + Ctrl
tivra Ma
F#
45/32
(-10 cents)
729/512
(+12 cents)
5
Pa
G
3/2
(+2 cents)
6 + Ctrl
komal Da
Ab
8/5
(+14 cents)
128/81
(-8 cents)
6
Da
A
5/3
(-16 cents)
27/16
(+6 cents) if SaPa
7 + Ctrl
komal Ni
Bb
9/5
(+18 cents)
16/9
(-4 cents)
7
Ni
B
15/8
(-12 cents)
243/128
(+10 cents)
8
'Sa
'C
2
the tonic an octave higher
'9' plays high Re, '0' plays high Ga
The 'harsh' tuning for Da also requires the SaPa drone to be selected
'16/15' indicates the frequency ratio from Sa, the tonic
'+12 cents' indicates how note tuning differs from equal temperament
RiyazStudio Tanpura installs as an add-on to your existing RiyazStudio installation
- so you'll need to have some other form of RiyazStudio installed first.
The installation program is 12.7MB in size - taking
5 minutes to download with a 512 KBits/second broadband connection.
When asked "Do you want to run or save this file?", choose Save - and then
Run the installation program when it has fully downloaded.
If the installation program hasn't downloaded properly
you will get an error message such as "not a valid win32 application" or
"checksum mismatch" - so you'll need to download again...
Our new tanpura is a partially free upgrade for existing users. Loading
saved Tanpura 'User Settings' requires an additional level of registration.
WARNING: this update may lead you to focus on your alaap to the neglect of taal.
RiyazStudio's new Tanpura provides a range of different accompaniments - from rich "vocal" (Tanpura 1, 2 and 3) to silvery "instrumental"
(Tanpura 4) - with controls to enhance or suppress harmonics to match the raag or mood you're evoking.
...) or by tapping 'T' or F1-F4
The 'extra treble tanpura' option sets up an additional treble tanpura sequence shadowing the main tanpura at a slightly faster tempo.
The 'Bass' control gives the tanpura a bit more 'oomphf'. Leave it off for playing a silvery ethereal
accompaniment (especially with Tanpura4 'Treble') that will only minimally impinge on your voice or instrument.
The 'Jawari' control places cotton under the string of non-Sa notes for enriched harmonics.
The 'Re' control allows the Re harmonic on the Pa tanpura string to shine out (when played with Jawari) - for raags that demand it.
The intonation control lets you select between 
Set the tanpura plucking rate in 'beats per minute'.
The 'pluck' control (levels 0 - 9) sets the initial loudness of the pluck of each string.
The first 8 preset note combinations (Sa, SaPa, SaMa ... Sare) and the next 4 rhythmic options (rhythA slow ... rhythB fast) are a free upgrade to existing Standard
and/or Semi-Classical registration owners.
('Combination') uses both 'Bass' and 'Tenor' strings - using Tanpura2 ('Bass') for low Sa (and Re) and Tanpura3 ('Tenor') for higher notes.
('Bass') has rich rattling harmonics.
('Tenor') has strong cascading harmonics.
('Treble') plays distinguishable notes an octave higher. Having a shorter duration and weaker harmonics, it is good for setting up
interesting note sequences that would clash too much played with other tanpuras.
With the 'Bass' 
(or you can hold the Alt key and click to switch to manual tuning control)
soft tuning 
harsh tuning