End correction

In Bansuri, The effective length is more than the actual length,

So we have to apply the end correction factor to find the actual effective length of bansuri, this end correction factor depend on the internal diameter of the bansuri

L_eff = L _Actual+0.3d

Bansuri Tuning

Generally  Bansuri are tuned to kalyan scale, because in india it is played as top 3 holes closed as “Sa”

So if you assume it as “Sa” and Ratio 1:1

Then lower Ni will be 15:8 low than this “Sa”

Lower Dha will be lower 5:3

And lower Pa will be lower 3:2

 

And the tuning will be

3:2(1.5)/5:3(1.67)/15:8(1.88)/1:1(1)/9:8(1.13)/5:4(1.25)/45:32(1.41) (Pa-Dha-Ni-Sa-Re-Ga Tivra Ma)

Now if you play this bansuri with 3 holes closed as Sa than everything is OK.

But if you play this bansuri with all holes closed as Sa then the ratio changes (dividing all by 3:2,From Sa onwards divide by 3:2/2=3:4)

1:1(1)/10:9(1.11)/5:4(1.25)/4:3(1.33)/ 3:2(1.5)/5:3(1.67)/15:8(1.88)—(Sa-Re-Ga-Ma-Pa-Dha-Ni-Sa)

You see Re is Flat here if you play all holes closed as Sa

 

So to conclude tuning depends on how you play if you play 3 holes closed as Sa then tuning is shown above(first one), in short 3 holes closed then tuning kalyan and all holes closed Sa then tuning bilawal

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Raag Shivranjni

Raag Shivranjni is very beautiful raag,the name has two parts-Shiv means lord shiva and ranjini means to pleasing and thus this raag becomes the raag which can please lord Shiva.

 

Aroh- Sa,Re,Ga (komal swar),Pa,Dha,Sa’

 

Avroh- Sa’,Dha,Pa,Ga,Re Sa

 

Practice:- Try to produce the –   Sa, Re,Ga,Re,Sa and then Sa,Re,Ga,Re,Sa,Dha,Pa,Dha,Sa

 

Note that Ga here is komal swar which means flat note, which requires the half holing on the bansuri

 

Here is a video of Prasad, Which will give you all the details of Raag Shivranjni

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKXdY7saCYA

 

 

 

 

                               

 

 

                                                               

 

Wall Thickness

One of the person requested for the role of wall thickness in the bansuri making,

The wall thickness of bamboo affects the air flow from the hole

If the bamboo is thicker then it will offer more resistance to the air flow and hence lowers, i.e, flattens the pitch

Lower wall thickness means more air flow hence it sharpen the pitch.

 

Also more wall thickness lowers the volume of tone and less wall thickness has more volume of tone.

Forum

We are starting the forum for the discussion of various topics on our website www.hindustanimusics.com

 

The forum will be available soon…

Embouchre hole

In all bansuries the hole for embouchere will be 11 mm, irrespective
of its tonic
Generally the range is 10 to 12 mm

Holes making

Now we have arrived to this question

How to make the hole?

 

The procedure is to make first hole for Tivra madyam Low ( A Side hole,90 degree axis to the normal holes axis), then for Dha,Ni,Sa,Re,Ga,Ma

 

First we have to make small hole,  and we have to increase it slightly by slightly we have to consistently check its frequency, when we obtain correct frequency and note, we will move to the next hole making

 

We can increase only the hole diameter so be careful, if you go fast then you will obtain the pitch sharp and the note will be sharp, and it will be permanent for that flute. ( there are some ideas but for making good flute, it is not advisable to make this patches)

Scale of hindustani music

Hindustani music is based on “Just Intonation”

If we assume “Sa” as base note then the relative proportionate for the other notes will be

Note Name	Ratio	Ratio In Decimal
Sa	1	1
Komal Re	16/15	1.06
Re	9/8	1.13
Komal Ga	6/5	1.2
Ga	5/4	1.25
Ma	4/3	1.33
Ma Tivra	45/32	1.41
Pa	3/2	1.5
Komal Dha	8/5	1.6
Dha	5/3	1.67
Komal Ni	9/5	1.8
Ni	15/8	1.88
Sa(Next Octave)	2	2

We will use this to determine the frequency of the other notes

Various Bansuri Length and Diameter for making Bansuri

Various Bansuri length and Diameters, The Diameter refers to the internal bore of a bamboo

Fine Flutes.	Length	Diameter
	Cm	Cm
Fine Flute. C. G.	20.32	1.27
Fine Flute. B. F #.	22.86	1.27
Fine Flute. A #. F.	25.4	1.27
Fine Flute. A. E.	27.94	1.27
Fine Flute. G #. D #.	30.48	1.27
Fine Flute. G. D.	33.02	1.27
Fine Flute. F #. C #.	35.56	1.27
Fine Flute. F. C.	35.56	1.524
Fine Flute. E. B.	38.1	1.524
Fine Flute. D # A #.	40.64	1.524
Fine Flute. D. A.	43.18	1.524
Fine Flute. C #. G #.	45.72	1.778
Fine Flute. C. G.	48.26	1.778
Fine Flute. B. F #. Bass.	53.34	1.778
Fine Flute. A #. F. Bass.	53.34	2.032
Fine Flute. A. E. Bass.	58.42	2.032
Fine Flute. G #. D #. Bass.	63.5	2.032
Fine Flute. G. D. Bass.	66.04	2.286
Fine Flute. F #. C #. Bass.	68.58	2.286
Fine Flute. F. C. Bass.	71.12	2.286
Fine Flute. E. B. Bass.	73.66	2.286
Fine Flute. D #. A #. Bass.	81.28	2.54
Fine Flute. D. A. Bass.	86.36	2.54
Fine Flute. C #. G #. Bass.	86.36	2.794
Fine Flute. C. G. Bass.	91.44	2.794

Raaga-Part 1

The concept of Raga is very nice in Indian classical music.

 

Raga means a theme, based on that a musician express his composition

 

Each raga has its time to sing and particular structure based on that it will be identified

 

In any raga, you cannot omit the note-“Sa”-because it is the base note of other notes.It should be present in each raga.

 

Any Raga should have five notes at least.

 

For example

 

Rag Bhupali

 

Aroh  (means ascending notes )—Sa,Re,Ga,Pa,Dha,Sa’

 

Avroh (means descending notes)—Sa’,Dha,Pa,Ga,Re,Sa

 

(note:-  ’ sign denotes as 3^rd octave notes)

 

 

After Tuning "Tivra Madyam Low"- Location of "Pa"

After tuning “TML” , we will have to tune the “Pa”

We know that,

F1xL1=F2xL2

Now we know the frequency of “TML” and length of air column.

We also know the frequency of “Pa” ,which is 1.07 times the frequency of “TML”

By putting the values in the above equation, we will get the length of air column of “Pa”- i.e., hole location of “Pa”

Now we have to be careful that we will make this hole 90 axis to the normal hole axis, this is a side hole used for producing the Tivra Ma in lowest register,

we will see in the next post that how to make any hole

Hole Sizes

The biggest hole diameter is 2^nd hole from bottom of bansuri.

 

i.e., the biggest hole diameter is for “Dha” -Hole

First Tuning while making bansuri

In bansuri making, the bamboo is taken large in size then required size, then  embouchure hole is created at one side and cork is fixed on that side.

After wards first tuned note is “Tivra Ma” ( Lowest register), because “Tivra Ma” is played with all holes closed. when you have not made any hole still you can tune it to “Tivra Ma” of  lowest register.In short we will describe this note as TML (Tivra Ma Low)

With the help of the tuner, frequency is checked. As mention earlier we have selected the longer bamboo then required, we can tune the bansuri to “TML” by decreasing the length of the other side (opposite side to embouchure).

In this way, by decreasing the column length we can first tune the bansuri to “TML”

Bansuri Size and Pitch Relationship

Longer bansuri has lower pitch, whereas shorter bansuri has higher pitch.

 

Also lesser diameter has higher pitch, whereas bigger diameter has lower pitch

Starting the blog

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