Surbahar: India musical instrument

Surbahar is also known as the bass sitar. The bass sitar is a plucked string musical instrument used in the Hindustani classical music of the northern part of India. The musical instrument is closely related to the sitar, but has a lower tone than the sitar. Depending on the size of the instrument, it is often pitched 2 to 5 whole steps below the standard sitar, but Indian classical music having no concept of absolute pitch, this may differ. The musical instrument can emit frequencies that are lower than 20Hz.

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The surbahar is over 51 inches. The musical instrument uses a dried gourd as the resonator, and has a neck with very wide fret that permits a glissando of 6 notes on the same fret via the method of pulling. The neck of the musical instrument is produced out of tun or teak wood. The instrument has 4 rhythm strings, 4 playing strings and about 15 to 17 unplayed sympathetic strings. There are two strings on the musical instrument, the playable strings of the instrument pass over the greater bridge of the instrument that is connected to the table with small legs that are gummed in place. The sympathetic strings of the musical instrument pass over the smaller bridge of the instrument that is directly gummed on the table. The main bridge of the musical instrument has a little bit bent upper surface which results in droning sound, due to the vibrating span of the string quiver ever so slightly. The musical instrument performs the strings with the use of a metallic spectrum, the mizrab that is attached on the index finger of the player’s right hand. Three plectrums are used in the playing of the dhrupad style of alap, jor and the jhala on the musical instrument.