Spotlight Collection: India

PERCUSSION

Dhol: A double-sided barrel drum, with one skin tuned high and the other low. The drum is often worn by the player and played with two sticks, one in each hand.

Dholak: A double-sided barrel drum, similar to the Dhol, but smaller in size and played with hands.

Ghatam: A clay pot, played with the fingers, thumbs, and palms to produce a variety of sounds.

Kanjira: A frame drum with metal 'jingles', similar to the western tambourine.

Khol: A double-sided drum, played with the hands, with one side much smaller than the other.

Mridangam: A double-sided drum, similar to the Dholak. Traditionally it is played while sitting on the floor, with the drum partially resting on the player's leg.

Pakhawaj: A close relative to the Mridangam, with a lower, more resonant tone.

Tabla: A pair of hand drums, one small and one large. The larger drum has a distinctive tonal sound, the pitch of which can be manipulated by the player.

MELODIC

Bansuri: A transverse flute, traditionally made from bamboo.

Harmonium: A portable reed organ, powered by hand-pumped bellows.

Santur: A metal-stringed hammered dulcimer.

Sitar: A plucked stringed instrument, with a distinctive tone produced by its sympathetic strings and resonant, gourd-shaped body.

Tanpura: A large plucked string instrument. The purpose of the Tanpura is to produce a constant, non-rhythmic drone.

Tumbi: A small, high-pitched, plucked string instrument, with only a single string.