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Sarangi. Maegen McDonald. What is a Sarangi?!. The Sārangī is a bowed, short-necked string instrument of the Indian subcontinent. It plays an important role in India's Hindustani classical music tradition.
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Sarangi Maegen McDonald
What is a Sarangi?! • The Sārangī is a bowed, short-necked string instrument of the Indian subcontinent. • It plays an important role in India's Hindustani classical music tradition. • Of all Indian instruments, it is said to most resemble the sound of the human voice – able to imitate vocal ornaments such as shakes and sliding movements. • It is also said to be the hardest Indian instrument to master.
History! • The word sarangi is derived from two Hindi words: sau (meaning "hundred") and rang (meaning "color"). This is because the sound of the sarangi is said to be as expressive and evocative as a hundred colors. • Its origins are unknown, however most people believe that it became a mainstream instrument in the mid 18th Century.
Structure! • Carved from a single block of wood, the sarangi has a box-like shape, usually around two feet long and around half a foot wide. • The lower resonance chamber is made from a hollowed-out block of tun (red cedar) wood and covered with parchment and a decorated strip of leather at the waist which supports the elephant-shaped bridge. • The bridge in turn supports the huge pressure of approximately 40 strings.
What does it sound like?! • A properly tuned sarangi will hum and buzz like a bee-hive, with tones played on any of the main strings eliciting echo-like resonances. • A few sarangis have strings made of Goat's intestine,these were used in olden days by rich musicians.
Sound Clip! • http://www.sarangisitar.com/muradali/about-sarangi.