TanpuraSa at C♯kali ek
An online tanpura in C♯ (C sharp)
Ask a male khyal singer for his scale and the likeliest answer is kali ek — C♯. It is the default Sa of the male voice in Hindustani music, the key most green-room tanpuras are already tuned to, and the neighbourhood most sitars are strung for. If you learned from a harmonium, odds are it was folded around this note.
- Sa
- 138.59 Hz
- Taar Sa
- 277.18 Hz
- Pa
- G♯
- Ma
- F♯
- Ni
- C
- On a harmonium
- kali ek
Set Sa to C♯ in Sangat and everything moves together: the tanpura and the tabla retune with it, so nothing beats against the drone. Choose from 18 tunings — from the deep Kharaj Sa that dhrupad favours up to a high Ma — with three plucking styles and a deeper or brighter voice.
It runs in the browser you are reading this in, on a phone or at a desk, and the full tanpura costs nothing. Press play, sing.
C♯ as Sa, in numbers
- On a harmonium
- kali ek (black 1)
- Sa
- 138.59 Hz (C♯3)
- Taar Sa
- 277.18 Hz (C♯4)
- Pa
- G♯
- Ma
- F♯
- Usually suits
- most male khyal singers — the classic male Sa
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 C♯:
- Pa (G♯) — the default, right for most ragas.
- Ma (F♯) — for ragas without Pa, such as Malkauns and Chandrakauns.
- Ni (C) — for ragas where Ni is prominent, such as Bihag and Kalyan; komal Ni (B) 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 C♯ 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 C♯?
With A tuned to 440 Hz, Sa at C♯ is 138.59 Hz in the third octave (C♯3) and 277.18 Hz an octave above (C♯4).
What is Pa when Sa is C♯?
Pa is G♯, seven semitones above Sa. Ma is F♯ and shuddha Ni is C.
What is C♯ called on a harmonium?
C♯ is kali ek (black 1) — the name many Indian teachers use for the key.
Who usually sings with Sa at C♯?
Most male khyal singers — the classic male Sa. 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 C♯ for free?
Yes. The whole tanpura is free in Sangat: real tanpura recordings at C♯, all eighteen tunings, in the browser with no account.