TanpuraSa at Fsafed chaar
An online tanpura in F
F — safed chaar — is a meeting place. Group singing settles here often: high enough that the men can reach it, low enough that the women are not straining, which is why so much kirtan and bhajan-mandali music ends up in F without anyone deciding it. Solo, it belongs to deep female voices and to tenors at the top of their climb.
- Sa
- 174.61 Hz
- Taar Sa
- 349.23 Hz
- Pa
- C
- Ma
- A♯
- Ni
- E
- On a harmonium
- safed chaar
A drone for a room full of voices has to be steady above all, and steadiness is Sangat's whole trade: real string plucks at F, looping evenly for as long as the singing lasts, with a sleep timer in Pro that fades it out after everyone has gone home.
The tanpura itself is entirely free — 18 tunings from Kharaj Sa to high Ma, both voices, three plucking styles, no account. Open it on whatever device is nearest the group.
F as Sa, in numbers
- On a harmonium
- safed chaar (white 4)
- Sa
- 174.61 Hz (F3)
- Taar Sa
- 349.23 Hz (F4)
- Pa
- C
- Ma
- A♯
- Usually suits
- deep female voices, tenors and group singing
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 F:
- Pa (C) — the default, right for most ragas.
- Ma (A♯) — for ragas without Pa, such as Malkauns and Chandrakauns.
- Ni (E) — for ragas where Ni is prominent, such as Bihag and Kalyan; komal Ni (D♯) 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 F 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 F?
With A tuned to 440 Hz, Sa at F is 174.61 Hz in the third octave (F3) and 349.23 Hz an octave above (F4).
What is Pa when Sa is F?
Pa is C, seven semitones above Sa. Ma is A♯ and shuddha Ni is E.
What is F called on a harmonium?
F is safed chaar (white 4) — the name many Indian teachers use for the key.
Who usually sings with Sa at F?
Deep female voices, tenors and group singing. 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 F for free?
Yes. The whole tanpura is free in Sangat: real tanpura recordings at F, all eighteen tunings, in the browser with no account.