.
Translating as ‘waves of nightingales’, the bulbul tarang is a curious ‘plucked-keyed’ variant of the Japanese taishogoto
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—Kishor Nandoskar (Puriya Dhanashree)—
“The bulbul tarang (or ‘Indian banjo’) is an instrument from India and Pakistan, commonly used to accompany to singing, which employs two sets of strings: one set for drone, and one for melody. The melody strings run under a key plate, with keys similar to those of a typewriter. Depressing the keys as the strings are plucked activates stops which change their pitch. The melody strings are commonly tuned in unison or octaves, while the drone strings are tuned to [Sa and Pa]. The strings may be tuned to different pitches if desired, rendering it multi-tonic but more difficult to play. In Japan, it is known as the taishogoto, in Germany and Austria as the akkordolia, in Pakistan as the benju, and in the Maldives as the kottafoshi…” (Ethnic Instruments)
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• Hindustani Instruments: Anandi | Bansuri | Bass-Veena | Bazantar | Bulbul Tarang | Cello | Chaturangi | Dilruba | Electric Guitar | Esraj | Fretless Guitar | Harmonium | Jal Tarang | Jori | Mandolin | Mohan Veena | Nal Tarang | Pakhawaj | Piano | Rabab | Rudra Veena | Sagar Veena | Santoor | Sarangi | Sarod | Saxophone | Shehnai | Sitar | Surbahar | Sursagar | Sursingar | Swarmandal | Tabla | Tabla Tarang | Tanpura | Tar Shehnai | Taus | Vichtra Veena | Violin
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An open-ended project seeking to bring North Indian raga closer to all who approach with open ears. Combines direct input from dozens of leading Hindustani artists with in-depth insights from music history, global theory, performance practice, cognitive science, and much more besides!
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George Howlett is a London-based musician, writer, and teacher (guitars, sitar, tabla, & santoor). Above all I seek to enthuse fellow sonic searchers, interconnecting fresh vibrations with the voices, cultures, and passions behind them. See Homepage for more, and hit me up for Lessons!
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