International Journal of Research and Science Publication(IJRSP) Volume 01//Issue 02//Aug-2016// Page No. – 93 to 100 Available at – www.ijrsp.org ύχ Corresponding Author - Anita Mahanta*1 Effect of the Position of the ‘Jivari’ Threads on the ‘Tanpura’ String Vibrations: A Quantitative Study Corresponding Author - Anita Mahanta *1 Dept. of Fine Arts Banasthali University Banasthali, Rajasthan, India Email id - anitmahanta@gmail.com Thejas K Abraham 2 Dept. of Mechanical Engineering National Institute of Engineering Mysore, Karnataka, India Email id - thejas.k.abraham@gmail.com Prof. Ina Shastri 3 Faculty of Fine Arts Banasthali University Banasthali, Rajasthan, India Email id - ina_shastri@yahoo.com ABSTRACT This paper presents a quantitative analysis of the effect of the positional arrangement of the ‘Jivari’ threads, on the sound produced by a ‘Tanpura’. The tools employed for the analysis include waveforms, FFT data, spectrograms, formant data, pitch contours and intensity plots. The results reveal the physical significance of the 'jivari' threads, and some complex effects caused by their positional arrangement on the pitch, intensity and spectral characteristics of the vibrations of the 'tanpura'. Keywords - Tanpura tuning; Jivari threads; signal analysis I. INTRODUCTION The ‘tanpura’ (or tambura, tanpuri) is a long-necked plucked string instrument (Fig. 1) used in various forms of Indian music. It does not play melody but rather supports and sustains the melody of other instruments and singers by providing a continuous harmonic bourdon or drone [1]. The precise timing of plucking a cycle of four strings in a continuous loop, determines the resultant sound. It is played unchangingly during the complete performance. The repeated cycle of plucking all strings creates a musical backdrop on which the melody of the raga (scale) is drawn [2]. Each string produces one fundamental tone with its own spectrum of overtones. The Combined sound of all the strings is a rich and vibrant, dynamic-yet-static tone-union, resulting from the interactive harmonic resonances, which support and blend with the external tones sung or played [2]. Sir C. V. Raman [1] noted that the string vibrations of the 'tanpura' will contain a full series of overtones regardless of where the string is plucked or mechanically held still, and attributed this phenomenon to the impactive interaction between the bridge and the string [5]. A. Basic Acoustic Design of the ‘Tanpura’ The ‘tanpura’ is a plucked chordophone. The vibrations set up by the plucking of strings are conveyed to the resonator through the bridge and the resonating plank (tabli) [3]. The air cavity inside the gourd (tumba) and the rest of the body is set into forced vibrations, resulting in the amplification and projection of the basic tone [4]. B. Tuning the ‘Tanpura’ The general pattern of tuning the four strings in a ‘tanpura’ taking the base note (or lower ‘Sa’) as 116.54 Hz (A # 4) is enlisted in table I. The intervals are calculated following the ‘Pythagorean tuning methodology’ [7].