TanpuraSa at Asafed chhe
An online tanpura in A
A — safed chhe — is the brighter of the two standard female keys, a semitone of extra light above G♯. It is also the one note the rest of the musical world has already agreed on: A is the western orchestra's tuning reference, which makes an A tanpura the easiest drone to share a room with a violin, a guitar, or a keyboard that will not budge.
- Sa
- 220.00 Hz
- Taar Sa
- 440.00 Hz
- Pa
- E
- Ma
- D
- Ni
- G♯
- On a harmonium
- safed chhe
Sangat's tanpura holds A with real plucks and a fine tune in cents, for the day the other instrument turns out to be at 442. Eighteen tunings, three plucking styles, a deeper or brighter voice.
It is free, it needs no account, and it runs anywhere a browser does. Press play; the room is tuned.
A as Sa, in numbers
- On a harmonium
- safed chhe (white 6)
- Sa
- 220.00 Hz (A3)
- Taar Sa
- 440.00 Hz (A4)
- Pa
- E
- Ma
- D
- Usually suits
- bright female voices, and playing with western instruments tuned to A
Frequencies assume A = 440 Hz. Sangat has a fine tune in cents for an instrument that sits a little sharp or flat.
Tuning the first string
A tanpura's first string sets its colour; the other three hold Sa. With Sa at A:
- Pa (E) — the default, right for most ragas.
- Ma (D) — for ragas without Pa, such as Malkauns and Chandrakauns.
- Ni (G♯) — for ragas where Ni is prominent, such as Bihag and Kalyan; komal Ni (G) for Kafi, Bhairavi and Jaunpuri.
- Kharaj Sa — a deep drone an octave down, favoured in dhrupad.
Sangat has all eighteen tunings, each labelled with where it is used. Which tanpura tuning for which raga lists them all.
Is A your Sa?
A good Sa lets you reach mandra Pa below it and taar Sa above it without strain. If you are not sure, how to find your Sa walks through it, and Sangat's Find my Sa listens to you sing and suggests a key — free, in the browser.
Questions
What frequency is Sa at A?
With A tuned to 440 Hz, Sa at A is 220.00 Hz in the third octave (A3) and 440.00 Hz an octave above (A4).
What is Pa when Sa is A?
Pa is E, seven semitones above Sa. Ma is D and shuddha Ni is G♯.
What is A called on a harmonium?
A is safed chhe (white 6) — the name many Indian teachers use for the key.
Who usually sings with Sa at A?
Bright female voices, and playing with western instruments tuned to A. The right Sa is the one your own voice finds comfortable, not the one your group or recording uses.
Can I use an online tanpura in A for free?
Yes. The whole tanpura is free in Sangat: real tanpura recordings at A, all eighteen tunings, in the browser with no account.