TanpuraSa at Csafed ek
An online tanpura in C
C is the first white key — safed ek on a harmonium — and the Sa of singers who want weight under the voice. Dhrupad singers live here and lower; khyal baritones settle into C when C♯ feels a shade tight. If your voice fills a room from the bottom, this may already be your key.
- Sa
- 130.81 Hz
- Taar Sa
- 261.63 Hz
- Pa
- G
- Ma
- F
- Ni
- B
- On a harmonium
- safed ek
Sangat's tanpura is real string plucks, at C. There are 18 tunings, from a deep Kharaj Sa up to a high Ma, each with a note on where it is used, three plucking styles, and two voices, deeper or brighter.
Press play and it drones until you tell it to stop. No account, nothing to install, and the whole tanpura is in the free tier.
Not certain C is your key? Find my Sa listens while you sing and finds the Sa you are actually in.
C as Sa, in numbers
- On a harmonium
- safed ek (white 1)
- Sa
- 130.81 Hz (C3)
- Taar Sa
- 261.63 Hz (C4)
- Pa
- G
- Ma
- F
- Usually suits
- deep male voices and dhrupad
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 (B) — for ragas where Ni is prominent, such as Bihag and Kalyan; komal Ni (A♯) 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 130.81 Hz in the third octave (C3) and 261.63 Hz an octave above (C4).
What is Pa when Sa is C?
Pa is G, seven semitones above Sa. Ma is F and shuddha Ni is B.
What is C called on a harmonium?
C is safed ek (white 1) — the name many Indian teachers use for the key.
Who usually sings with Sa at C?
Deep male voices and dhrupad. 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.