Sruthi Box

2:03 PM Posted by Vijayasri

As the popular saying goes 'Sruthi Matha Layam Pitha' , shruthi , the pitch in which we sing is considered to be the mother of carnatic music.

The first lesson of carnatic music always deals with singing the basic notes (Sa,Pa and higher Sa) hearing the sruthi which is usually done with the help of musical instrument Tambura or Sruthi Box.
When you start practising the lessons, the first thing is to tune your sruthi box to your pitch.
By carefully listening to the tambura, sruti box, or a tape of the tambura or shruti box for three to five minutes, get into the music mood and start singing the notes.

TYPES OF SRUTHI BOX
Sruthi Box (Sruthi Petty) has two basic forms - one is manual and other is electronic. It is similar to the Harmonium but lacks the key board. The instrument is used to provide drone in concert or for practice, and it provides three basic notes.
This accordion shaped instrument allows air to pass through an enclosed space to produce sound. Hindustani musicians and Carnatic musicians are the regular users of this instrument.
Sruthi Box is also known in different names such as Swar Pethi, Swar Peti, Swarpeti, Surpeti, Sur Peti, and Sruti Box.

When I was a kid, I used to practise my music lessons with the manual sruthi box.
The manual sruthi box needs to be played by someone and you have knobs in the center to adjust the sruthi to either 5 or 51/2 or 6.
These days, the electronic sruthi boxes have come into picture which has made our task easier, just plug it in and start singing.