the swara "ni" in sruthi box

[CHELLAM]

USUALLY ALL SRUTHI BOXES - HAVE PA/MA TO SET SRUTHI EITHER TO PANCHAMAM OR MADHYAMAM
BUT NOT TOO SURE WHY WE HAVE THE "NI"
WHEN ARE WE SUPPOSE TO SET THE SRUTHI TO "NI"?
DO WE EVER SET SRUTHI TO NI IN CARNATIC MUSIC ?
CAN SOMEONE EXPLAIN

thanking in advance

[vasanthakokilam]

This thread is sort of related: http://www.rasikas.org/forums/viewtopic. ... 3&p=259907
though it is not about Ni itself, there is some reference to it.

I think it is more common in HM to set it to Ni.

[Sivaramakrishnan]

Some related inputs are available in the thread 'MADHYAMASRUTI'.

[Radhika-Rajnarayan]

Dear rasikas-members, just a clarification - the term 'electronic sruti box' is used loosely by many people to indicate electronic tamburas. A better option would be 'electronic tambura box', since there is a separate classification of an electronic sruti box (Radel Dhruva sruti box), which produces the sound of a bellows-type sruti-petti.
The 'ni' note provided in electronic tamburas enhances certain ragas and is more often used in Hindustani music. However, nothing prevents anyone from using the 'ni' note in Carnatic music. It would sound nice in some ragas like hamsanaadham (Bantureethi), even Kaapi. There are some Radel electronic tamburas with the option of selecting pa/ma/ni, plus additional 5th, and 6th notes. These give the user a choice of selecting - say, pa-ni-sa-sa-sa or, ga-pa-ni-sa-sa-sa or even ma-dha-sa-sa-sa or ma-ni-dha-sa-sa etc etc, to use in various ragas, to create the mood.
Here is a link to Raj Narayan, the inventor of these digital musical instruments, playing a Bageshree raag in the Hindustani style with the latest Radel tambura, the 4/5/6 string Miraj Plus: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zX_foN6uJc
In Carnatic music, we could use it for Sriranjani by setting the same notes. I've used it for Reethigowla by setting it to ga-ma-ni-sa-sa-sa. Really sets the mood!

[gigspot]

The adding of the note 'ni' to shruthi goes beyond just Indian music. In Jazz and Blues it is customary to add the 7th degree of each chord, which in effect is the note ni. It adds its own colour to the music. So I'd say you can try adding the appropriate ni to the shruthi when you practise. If you feel the difference it makes is interesting, trying out in a concert where you feel the audience would be open enough!