Musical instruments

[Mike]

What is a sarangi?

[andy hughes]

It's a very common musical instrument in India, usually used to accompany singers. The frame is wooden, with strings stretched over it, which are partly plucked with one hand, and bowed with the other - unlike a violin bow, the tension is convex. If you have ever heard Indian singing, you've probably heard a sarangi as its accompanyment. In common with a number of Indian instruments, it is fiendishly difficult to play, mainly because the design and tuning are extremely adaptable, and alter from generation to generation, so techniques need to be changed and updated on a regular basis.