CARNATIC WIND INSTRUMENTS AEROPHONES

There are many varieties in the wind instruments' category. Here you can find a Nagaswaram (but it resembles with Shehanai of north India) and other accompanying instruments. A notable thing is, the drone player does not stop blowing for even a single second throughout a piece is played by the Nagaswaram player. The drone resembles a bugle with attached blowing pipe. Other accompanying instruments are a longer and thin drum, a metallic gong, and smaller Chenda like percussion.

                    FLUTE

Flute is one of the most praised and the oldest wind instruments of south India. We always see Shri Krishna's picture with a flute. Ancient Sanskrit verses state that flute is the source of  'Swarajnana - the knowledge of music'. Flute is also known as  Bansuri, Venu, Vamshi, Kuzhal and  Murali. Flute was one of the most common instruments during the Vedic period. Flute is played for a solo performance as well as used as an accompaniment for vocal music. The performer takes part in the  instrumental ensembles too.

Flute is found in every music of the world. In Carnatic music it has a special tunning made to suit the scale. It is made of bamboo and it has 6-8 holes apart from the mouth hole. These holes are arranged in a straight line. These holes vary in long flutes and in short flutes.

Long flutes have rich ,deep and soft tone whereas short flutes have high pitched tones. Vertical flutes are used in Indian folk music and horizontal flutes are played in classical music of the north and south India. North Indian classical flutes are longer compared to the one is used in Carnatic music. Some ancient flutes were made-up of bones.

 

Saxophone, a western aerophone has become an integral classical musical instrument of  south India. It is played on auspicious occasions like religious ceremonies or during marriage. In this clip one can see it is accompanied by Tavil for rhythmic beauty. A religious procession with deity sitting in a Palakhi.