Pocket Shruti Box: Carnatic Tambura (Android app)

[raguanu]

This post is about Pocket Shruti Box, an android app we've just released, which provides authentic concert quality Tambura accompaniment for carnatic music.

SOUND QUALITY

Usually shruti box devices and apps merely record a few tambura sounds and pitch-shift them to produce sounds for different shrutis (kattai or mane). To produce good results, many high quality samples of multiple tamburas (of different sizes and tunings) should be recorded, occupying a lot of storage space (potentially in GBs!). Such a size would not be practical. So, compromises will have to be made, ultimately impacting sound quality.

Instead, Pocket Shruti Box uses a physical model developed by researchers at Sonic Arts Research Center, Queen's University Belfast. With this approach, we get authentic tambura sound. This allowed us to craft tambura sound specific for each kattai/shruti/mane, resulting in clear, accurate, and immersive tambura drone across the entire range. This way we could achieve

★ authentic tambura sound (in small app size)
★ good clarity even on phone speakers, budget headphones and earphones
★ great sound on Bluetooth speakers.

Please hear it for yourself and share your views.

DESIGNED FOR CARNATIC MUSIC

Except a few, most Indian music apps are designed for Hindustani music. These miss to consider important aspects of carnatic music. In contrast, Pocket Shruti Box is designed keeping carnatic music in mind. That means,

★ tambura playing cycle widely practiced in carnatic music.
★ choice of first swarams which are standard in carnatic music system.
★ carnatic terminology: kattai/shruti/mane (1, 1½ , etc), swarasthanams (e.g. Ma₁/Suddha Madhyamam), etc.

FEATURES

★ Full range of kattai/shruti/mane from lowest male shruti to highest female shruti. That is, 6 Male (Low A) to 7 Female (High B). Thus, the app can provide accompaniment to all vocalists, and instrumentalists (violin, veena, mridangam, ghatam, flute, chitravina, etc).
★ Fine-tuning of kattai/shruti/mane. This is useful to match tambura drone accurately to shruti of instruments which cannot be tuned, such as flute, nadhaswaram, or ghatam.
★ Choice of first swarams specific to carnatic music. First swaram of the tambura pattern can be either Pa (Panchamam) or Ma₁ (Suddha Madhyamam). Panchama shruti (Pa as first swaram) is most widely used. Madhyama shruti (Ma₁ as first swaram) is used in special cases such as playing panchama varja ragams.
★ Tempo or speed of the tambura playing cycle can be adjusted. In slower tempo, individual notes can be heard more clearly. Faster tempo will give you denser tambura texture.
★ Playback duration presets. You can play tambura for a specific duration (15 min, 30 min, or 1 hr). This simplifies keeping track of time for classes and practice sessions. We also know that soothing tambura sound is used in meditation. So this feature can also help meditators.
★ Of course, non-stop continuous playback is also possible.
★ Background playback, even without screen ON. Saves battery.
★ Bluetooth connectivity. Connect your bluetooth speaker or headphone for an immersive tambura sound. You never need to buy electronic shruti box that costs you a lot of money!
★ Wired speakers or headphones work great too.
★ Lock screen notification. You can control playback without unlocking your phone or tablet.

TIPS

★ Connect your speaker for rich tambura sound. No need to invest in electronic shruti boxes anymore.
★ Activate "Do Not Disturb" mode, if available on your device. This prevents disturbances due to phone calls or notifications. With this, you can use Pocket Shruti Box even for concerts or meditation.

Research:
A Real-Time Synthesis Oriented Tanpura Model. / van Walstijn, Maarten; Bridges, Jamie; Mehes, Sandor.
Proceedings of the 19th International Conference on Digital Audio Effects (DAFx-16). 2016. p. 175-182 (International Conference on Digital Audio Effects).

Developing professional audio apps for carnatic music requires dedication, time, and skill. We hope you'll support our efforts.

You can get the app from here: https://play.google.com/store/apps/deta ... .shrutibox

Thank you,
Ananth Pattabi
___________________________________
© Kuyil | Apps Crafted for Carnatic
Pocket Shruti Box: Carnatic Tambura | Sādhakam—Carnatic Ear Trainer | Shruti Carnatic Tuner

[msakella]

In general, Carnatic musicians cannot locate the dissonant effect in this Tambura. That is the pity! amsharma

[raguanu]

Sir,

The so called dissonance is integral to real tambura. Tambura naturally has complex resonances, and if any dissonance is perceived, it is purely a subjective feeling. Even in western music, what is considered as dissonance has changed over time. This proves such a phenomena is very much subjective.

We had two options in front of us when we started building the app. (1) We could attempt to provide a neutral and safe sound that nobody will find as dissonant, or (2) We could put our efforts to provide a tambura sound that is authentic and natural.

Before attempting to clean up what one perceives as dissonances, we considered that the doyens of carnatic music such as Thaygaraja, Dikshitar, and Purandharadasa relied on tambura as-it-is and built what is currently known as carnatic music. Who knows, so called dissonance in the tambura may have played a role in shaping carnatic music swarasthanams, and their specific frequency ratios!

So we chose option 2, that is, to remain as close to real tambura as possible.

Regards,
Ananth Pattabi
___________________________________
© Kuyil | Apps Crafted for Carnatic
Pocket Shruti Box: Carnatic Tambura | Sādhakam—Carnatic Ear Trainer | Shruti Carnatic Tuner

[msakella]

I cannot appreciate the sensitivity of the musician who continues to sing or play a composition having Sadharana-gandhara along with the Tambura emanating Antara-gandhra as Svayambhu-svara from the Mandra-shadja. That is why, more than 20 years back I have brought out some audio-files of consonant combinations of notes for all the 12 Shrutis to use them for my personal purpose. However, I shall furnish the respective link hereunder and you can use them if you like. amsharma
Tambura Shrutis: https://www.mediafire.com/folder/z2mud889gds42/Shrutis

[ganesh_mourthy]

Sharma Ji

This is extremely good and helps to align better with the shruthi. Thank you so very much indeed.

[bhasi]

This is a great app! I'm trying to learn CM on my own, and the tambura sound on this app instantly transports me to a meditative mood. I've downloaded your other two apps also - Sadhakam and Shruti, but these I have yet to try out.

[msakella]

Dear brother-member, ganesh-mourthy,
In 2006, on the suggestion and recommendation of a ‘Sangeetakalanidhi’ when I have demonstrated these Shrutis in the Music Academy, funnily, another ‘Sangeetakalanidhi’ expressed that they are not suitable for Karnataka music. This is the state of affairs. amsharma

[thenpaanan]

... another ‘Sangeetakalanidhi’ expressed that they are not suitable for Karnataka music...

Sharma gaaru

Did the said sangItakalAnidhi say what is "suitable" for karNAtaka music? It takes far less to dismiss a new idea off-hand than to come up with one.

I have to confess that after listening to your sruthi recordings I am starting to question my own understanding of tambUrA. I seem to vastly prefer the sound of a traditional acoustic tambUrA to the synthetic sounds in your recordings, but I cannot tell whether this is simply because I am used to it and nothing more ("pazhakka dOsham" as we would say in tamizh).

-tenpANan

[msakella]

Dear brother-member, -tenpANan,
As you already wrote, as it is very easy to condemn a new idea, that SK very simply condemned my Shrutis but did not, however, suggest any other suitable Shruti for Karnataka music which I do not want to discuss here.

To tell the fact, having become vexed with the dissonant effect of the present Tambura, I, nearly more than 25 years back, have designed my Tambura-cum-Shruti-box and all these are the respective audio-files brought out of this instrument which I, along with my disciples and friends, have since been using with utmost satisfaction of Shruti.

My main aim is to possibly avoid any kind of dissonant effect in the Shruti. For example, while singing or playing a Raga having Sadharana-gandhara we will be compelled to have the upper-partial, Antara-gandhara emanating from the Mandra-shadja-string. Even while singing a Raga having Shuddha-madhyama the same thing happens. At this juncture, to maintain the consonant effect in the Shruti we have either to stop plucking this Mandra-shadja or to have another string for Tara-shadja. In the present Tambura, as we do not have the facility like the switch to an electrical-bulb to control it, we are compelled to have it. But, as there are umpteen facilities to have in a modern-electronic-tambura either to delete or add any number of notes of any octaves, I have accordingly designed it and been using it with full satisfaction. However, conservatives, can go along with the traditional Tambura along with all the respective dissonances. amsharma

[raguanu]

This is a great app! ...the tambura sound on this app instantly transports me to a meditative mood.

Thanks for sharing your experience after actually trying out the app. We put years of work behind this. It is indeed gratifying to read your kind words.

I'm trying to learn CM on my own

While our apps are useful companions for students of carnatic music, a teacher is essential to make any meaningful progress in this complex art form. So we strongly recommend you to find a good teacher.

I've downloaded your other two apps also - Sadhakam and Shruti, but these I have yet to try out.

Great. Sadhakam helps to improve your swara gyanam by providing exercises to train you to recognize the various swara sthanams. It is inspired by the teachings of the late violin maestro Peri Srirama Murthy. We also suggest you to sing along after hearing exercise sequence before guessing the swara sthanams.

On the other hand, Shruti Carnatic Tuner helps you to tune your instrument accurately on your own, saving valuable time for your teacher before starting the classes. You can also check the shruti of your voice before singing. This is a powerful and versatile utility as it recognizes the swara sthanams from any instrument or voice and even provides accurate reference tones for carnatic swara sthanams. You will discover its many possibilities as you progress in your learning.

Thank you,
Ananth Pattabi
___________________________________
© Kuyil | Apps Crafted for Carnatic
Pocket Shruti Box: Carnatic Tambura | Sādhakam—Carnatic Ear Trainer | Shruti Carnatic Tuner

[nadhasudha]

Hello Ananth Pattabhi,

Just wanted to let you know that all of your three apps are well thought out and of great help to students of music. They are not substitutes for a guru but greatly augment the learning process.

I have downloaded the Pocket Shruthi box and find the sounds very rich. It is a very convenient and easy app to use.

I brought myself a manual tambura and would tune it manually with the aid of electronic shruthi box.

I then started using the Shruti Carnatic tuner app to tune the manual tambura and then I noticed that for a very well tuned tambura plucking on 1 string makes the other strings vibrate and the resulting sound is so beautiful.

I also use the tuner to tune the veena as well.

Thanks!

[raguanu]

Hi Nadhasudha,

Just wanted to let you know that all of your three apps are well thought out and of great help to students of music.

Thanks for this observation. Though there are a few apps for carnatic music developed by passionate people in their free time, the need for professionally developed apps for the benefit of teachers, students, and practitioners cannot be understated. It is our hope that the carnatic music community will support our full time professional work in this area.

They are not substitutes for a guru but greatly augment the learning process.

Absolutely. So, we focus on building tools to assist teachers. Teachers can incorporate these apps in various ways in the class. Some examples:

• A teacher could ask the student to do Sadhakam exercises as home work. This way the teacher can come to know about the student's specific weaknesses in swara gyanam and plan the classes accordingly. For instance, a student may struggle to switch between sadharana ghandharam and anthara ghandharam. This may be a hindrance while teaching compositions containing these swarams. To remedy this, the teacher may ask the student to do Sa-Ga and Sa-Ri-Ga exercises in sadhakam app and easily keep track of the progress.
• Students usually record their classes, and practice along with the recordings at home. The difficult part here is to match the shruti that is used in the recording. This is particularly problematic in learning instruments. One easy solution is that the teacher deciding a specific shruti using the reference sound provided by Shruti Carnatic Tuner and sticking to it in the classes. Doing this enables the student also tune to the same shruti at home. App's automatic swaram detection makes it easy for the student to tune visually. This way, teachers can also be sure that the student didn't practice with wrong setup.
• Then there is a case of improving fingering technique. If the teacher finds that a violin student's finger positioning is faulty in specific swara sthanams, (s)he can suggest the student to practice at home with shruti carnatic tuner for those swara sthanams. To rectify the defect identified by the teacher, student can play along with the reference sound for that particular swara sthanam, trying to match as closely as possible. Then (s)he can stop the reference sound and verify if the fingering is correct with the help of visual cues that the app provides instantly as the student plays the swara sthanam.

I brought myself a manual tambura and would tune it manually with the aid of electronic shruthi box.

I then started using the Shruti Carnatic tuner app to tune the manual tambura and then I noticed that for a very well tuned tambura plucking on 1 string makes the other strings vibrate and the resulting sound is so beautiful.

Wonderful to learn that Shruti Carnatic Tuner facilitated accurate tambura tuning to achieve sympathetic vibrations.

I also use the tuner to tune the veena as well.

We took the guidance of veena vidwan Sri Duddu Seetharamaiah while building Shruti Carnatic Tuner app. We added an additional sthayi in swaram reference sounds specifically to facilitate tuning of anu-mandra sthayi panchamam string in veena, based on his kind suggestion.

I have downloaded the Pocket Shruthi box and find the sounds very rich. It is a very convenient and easy app to use.

Glad to know that you find the sound quality and usability good. Such feedback and support from carnatic music community are the driving force behind our efforts.

Thank you for taking time to write. Your feedback made our day.

Thank you,
Ananth Pattabi
___________________________________
© Kuyil | Apps Crafted for Carnatic
Pocket Shruti Box: Carnatic Tambura | Sādhakam—Carnatic Ear Trainer | Shruti Carnatic Tuner