The tanpura (Sanskrit: तंबूरा, romanized: Taṃbūrā; also called tambura, tanpuri, tamboura, or tanpoura) is a long-necked, plucked, four-stringed instrument from the Indian subcontinent. It appears in many forms in Indian music. The tanpura looks like a simpler version of a sitar or similar lute-shaped instrument. It is made from a gourd or pumpkin.

The tanpura does not play melodies. Instead, it supports and keeps the sound steady for another musician, singer, or dancers. The four strings are tuned to specific notes in a musical scale, usually the fifth note (Pa; Solfège, “So”) and the main note (Sa; “Do”). This creates a continuous background sound. The strings are generally tuned 5-8-8-1. One of the three strings tuned to the main note is an octave lower than the others, which makes the background sound richer and deeper.

History

The Tanpura, also known in ancient times as the Tumburu Vina, has a history that begins around 300 B.C. The earliest written records about the instrument appear in the Nāṭyaśāstra, a text written by Bharata Muni around 200 B.C. to 200 A.D. This text describes a type of instrument that produces a continuous background sound, though it is not called the Tanpura. Later, in the 13th century, the book Sangita Ratnakara by Sharngadeva also mentions instruments with similar functions and designs.

The modern version of the Tanpura became common during the 16th and 17th centuries. While it shows some influence from Middle Eastern musical traditions, its closest ancestor is the ancient Indian instrument called the Veena, specifically the Tritantri Veena. Early Mughal paintings from this time often showed people playing a similar instrument called the tambur.

More evidence of the Tanpura appears in the middle of the 17th century. Some drawings show a completely wooden, unfretted Tanpura (called the Tanjore style), while others show a wooden Tanpura with a gourd-shaped body (called a tumba). These illustrations show that the Tanpura existed in many different forms.

The Tanpura plays a central role in Indian music. It provides a steady, continuous sound that acts as a foundation for melodic patterns called ragas.

The Miraj family, known for making sitars, is also famous for crafting Tanpuras. This family has been producing Tanpuras since 1850, across seven generations. A key feature of Miraj Tanpuras is the use of a bottle gourd for the instrument’s body. These gourds are specially grown for making instruments and must be dried for one year before use. Other parts of the Tanpura are made from wood. It takes about three weeks to complete one Tanpura.

Construction

The tanpura’s body shape is similar to the sitar, but it has no frets. This means the strings are always plucked at their full lengths. Unlike other string instruments, the tanpura has no frets or fretboard. It has four main parts: tumba (a large, round part), gulu (the neck joint), tagli (the soundboard), and dand (the neck).

The tumba is first dried, soaked in water, and cleaned until its surface becomes elastic or rubber-like. Other parts, such as the tagli and dand, are made from wood that has been aged for three years to ensure quality. Decorations on the tanpura are carved into the instrument. These carvings were once made from ivory, but now use white plastic because of a ban on ivory in India. After polishing with gum copal (a natural resin), the instrument is strung and tuned carefully.

The tanpura’s rich sound and resonances are created using a principle called Jivari. This causes a sustained "buzzing" sound where specific harmonics resonate clearly. To achieve this, the strings pass over a curved, table-shaped bridge. When a string is plucked, it briefly touches the bridge repeatedly as it moves. The contact points shift gradually based on factors like string tension, pitch, and the bridge’s shape. This process can take three to ten seconds. The room’s acoustics also affect how the sound resonates.

A cotton thread between the string and bridge can adjust the contact points, changing the sound’s harmonic content. Tanpuras are tuned carefully to match the tonal characteristics of a raga, which is important in Indian music. This tuning is called raga Svaroop, focusing on specific intonations that define a raga.

Tanpuras come in different sizes and pitches. Larger ones, called "males," are used by male vocalists, with their tonic note (Sa) often tuned to D, C♯, or lower, sometimes as low as B♭. Female singers use smaller "females," usually a fifth higher, though their tonic notes may vary. A male tanpura has an open string length of about one meter; the female is three-fourths that length. Standard tuning is 5-8-8-1 (Pa-Sa-Sa-Sa) or, in Indian sargam, Pa-sa-sa-Sa. For ragas that omit the fifth tone (Pa), the first string is tuned to the fourth (Ma-sa-sa-Sa). Some ragas, like Marwa or Hindol, use less common tunings with the sixth (Dha) or seventh (Ni) notes. Five-string tanpuras can include the seventh note (Ni) as well.

The octave strings are usually made of steel wire, while the tonic, fourth, or fifth strings are made of brass or bronze. If a string is tuned to the sixth or seventh note, a steel string is preferred.

Tanpuras are made in two styles:

• Miraj style: Popular with Hindustani musicians. It is 3 to 5 feet long, with a carved, rounded soundboard (tabli) and a long, hollow neck shaped like a rounded capital D. The tumba is cut from a dried gourd, and wood used is tun or teak. Bridges are usually made from bone.
• Tanjore style: Used by Carnatic musicians. It is similar in size but lacks a gourd. The spherical part is carved from solid wood, and the neck is smaller. Jack wood is used throughout, and bridges are made from rosewood. Often, two rosettes are decorated with inlay work.

An electronic tanpura, also called a shruti box, is a small device that mimics the sound of a traditional tanpura. It is sometimes used in modern performances, though this is debated. Supporters argue that electronic versions are more convenient and less expensive, as traditional tanpuras can cost three times more. Apps like Tanpura Droid and iTanpura Lite are also used for accessibility.

Critics say electronic versions cannot replicate the subtle imperfections and resonance of a traditional tanpura. They also reduce opportunities for students to learn from teachers in live settings, a practice central to the gurukula system. The increased use of electronic tanpuras has also led to fewer traditional instruments being made, affecting manufacturers.