tanpura.online
A quieter place to practise

Free Online Tanpura for Riyaz

Play a free virtual tanpura with electronic machine or acoustic string recordings. Choose your Sa, switch Pa or Ma, and start riyaz in your browser.

TANPURA PLAYER

Choose your Sa

Tap a note to set your tonic. Note names follow the 12-key Western system; Safed and Kali labels correspond to harmonium keys.

Electronic recording
CHOOSE YOUR SOUNDTwo recorded instruments

Real Raagini electronic tanpura machine · mono recording

Ready · electronic tanpura

Real electronic tanpura machine recording · smooth loops

First-string tuning

Pa is the usual choice. Use Ma for repertoire that avoids Pa. Ni needs a dedicated authentic recording and is not available.
Ni — unavailable
80%

Drag to adjust · Tap the speaker to mute or unmute

Fine tuning, tone and practice timer

Natural uses the source recording without additional bass EQ. Warm & Full adds low-end body.

0 ¢
Practice time00:00

Tip: press Space to start or stop when not editing a control. ←/→ switches Sa.

Your sound choices apply to this visit. Copy a setup link to reuse them. No microphone or sign-up required.
RIYAZ GUIDE

Start in three steps

Pitch-shifting a recording also changes its natural playing pace and tone.

  1. 1

    Choose a comfortable Sa

    Sing or hum Sa to find the note that fits your voice. The selected note is your tonic—not a fixed note for all singers.

  2. 2

    Choose Pa or Ma

    Pa gives the familiar fifth-based drone. Ma suits some ragas without Pa; check with your teacher or repertoire.

  3. 3

    Start and listen

    Set a low, comfortable volume and sustain Sa against the sound. Do not mistake volume for pitch accuracy.

A little music theory, made useful

The tanpura (tambura) is a plucked, usually four-string drone. It gives singers and instrumentalists a steady tonal reference; it does not play a melody. The characteristic ringing buzz comes from the instrument’s bridge (jawari).

Tanpura vs shruti box

A tanpura produces successive, resonant string plucks; a shruti box produces sustained reed tones. Both can support pitch practice, but their sound and playing behaviour are different. This digital tanpura player offers recorded acoustic strings and electronic tanpura-machine sounds, not a separate reed-style shruti box.

Pitch names for global practice

C, C♯, D … B are international note names. Sa moves to whichever pitch you choose. For Indian harmonium players, Safed and Kali mark white and black keys. English and Hindi share the same audio and tuning behaviour.

MUSIC LEARNING

Go deeper into your riyaz

Tanpura instrument explainedParts, jawari, types & sound →How to tune a tanpuraPa–Sa–Sa–low Sa, step by step →Sapta Swaras: the seven notesSa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni & practice →What is Shruti in music?Pitch reference, 22 shrutis & listening →

Browse English music articles

Frequently asked questions

Is Sa always C?

No. Sa is the tonic you select. C, C♯ and other notes are possible; the right pitch depends on your voice, teacher or instrument.

Why are Pa and Ma the two options?

Pa is common for many ragas; Ma is useful for some ragas that omit Pa. Other first-string tunings exist but require properly matched source recordings.

Can I adjust the plucking speed independently?

Not with these recordings. Changing playback rate changes pitch and speed together. We do not show a misleading tempo control.

Can I keep the sound playing when my phone locks?

It depends on the device and browser. For reliable practice, keep the page active and the screen awake.

Are these real recordings?

Yes. The drone comes from attributed recordings of acoustic tanpuras or a Raagini electronic tanpura machine, looped and optionally EQ-treated. Transposition and processing may change the source timbre.

Can I play tanpura in C, C♯, G or A scale?

Yes. Choose C, C♯, G, A or another available note as your Sa using the twelve-key selector. These note labels set your tonic; they are not separate melodies or downloadable tracks. The recordings are transposed, so their natural plucking pace and timbre also change with pitch.

About the audio

Acoustic and electronic recordings by Sankalp Gulati, available under CC BY 4.0. We use licensed HQ previews with crossfades, pitch-shifting and optional EQ. Some original recordings may contain speech; voice-free audio has not yet been certified. Recording sources & modifications.