Sarod tuner: Ma–Sa–Pa–Sa and chikari
The sarod, the fretless plucked lute of Hindustani music, has 17 to 25 strings depending on the style, but only four carry the melody. They are tuned Ma–Sa–Pa–Sa: the 1st string on the middle Ma, the 2nd on the middle Sa, the 3rd on the lower Pa and the bronze 4th string on the lower Sa. The two chikari, used for rhythmic strokes, sound the high Sa in unison.
Sarod main strings and chikari
Ma–Sa–Pa–Sa with Sa = C, equal-tempered frequencies at A4 = 440 Hz. Jod, jawari and tarab strings depend on the raga and are not listed.
| String | Sounding note | Frequency (Hz) |
|---|---|---|
| 4th · lower Sa (bronze) | C3 | 130.81 |
| 3rd · lower Pa (bronze) | G3 | 196.00 |
| 2nd · middle Sa | C4 | 261.63 |
| 1st · Ma (melody string) | F4 | 349.23 |
| Chikari pair · high Sa | C5 + C5 | 523.25 |
India Instruments — Ali Akbar Khan Style Sarod Tuning (chart © 1982 Brian Godden)
How to use it
- In Tuning, choose the Sa that matches your tanpura or your ensemble. Tap Turn on microphone.
- Mute the sympathetic strings with your palm or a cloth, strike one main string with the java and read after the attack.
- Start with the 2nd string (middle Sa). Then tune the 4th string an octave below it, the 3rd string on Pa and the 1st string on Ma. Press Play on a string button to hear its target.
- Tune both chikari to the high Sa, one octave above the 2nd string, then play them together and listen for beating. Retune jod, jawari and tarab last, for your raga.
Help and explanations
This page opens with Sa = C, the usual convention for the Maihar (Ali Akbar Khan) sarod: C3, G3, C4 and F4 on the main strings and C5 on both chikari. Sa is the player's choice, so the selector also offers C♯ and B; English Wikipedia says the conventional sarod is typically tuned to B, and German Wikipedia gives C or C♯ as the usual Sa.
Which strings these presets cover
The Maihar sarod has 25 strings: 4 main strings, 4 jod or jawari strings, 2 chikari and 15 sympathetic tarab. The conventional sarod of the Amjad Ali Khan style has about 19: 4 melody strings, 2 drone strings on Pa, 2 chikari and 11 tarab. In both, the main strings and the chikari follow the same Ma–Sa–Pa–Sa pattern shown here.
Jod, jawari and tarab are retuned for each raga, so a fixed chart would mislead you. Tune them with the chromatic tuner to the notes of the raga, then correct by ear until each tarab rings in sympathy when you play its note on a main string.
Getting the octave right
The octaves follow the Ali Akbar Khan style tuning chart by Brian Godden (1982), which puts the Sa of the 2nd string on middle C. The steel and bronze strings of current sarod sets, from 0.20 to 0.41 mm on a scale of about 67 to 68 cm, only reach a sensible tension at this octave; one octave lower they would be far too slack. If a string seems to need an octave more tension, you are aiming at the wrong octave.
The bronze 4th string is the one most often misread: a phone microphone can catch its second harmonic and show C4 instead of C3. Check by ear that it sits a full octave below the 2nd string. Pa and Ma are finished as pure fifths and fourths, about 2 cents away from the equal-tempered targets.
Tips
- Skin and strings react to humidity and temperature: let the sarod settle after transport, then tune again.
- Approach each note from below. With friction pegs, press the peg in gently while turning so it holds.
- Use the A reference setting when your tanpura's Sa falls a few cents away from an exact semitone.
Frequently asked questions
What are the sarod string notes?
With Sa = C: 1st string F4 (Ma), 2nd C4 (Sa), 3rd G3 (lower Pa), 4th C3 (lower Sa), and both chikari on C5 (high Sa).
Is the Maihar sarod tuned differently from the Amjad Ali Khan style?
The four main strings and the chikari use the same Ma–Sa–Pa–Sa pattern. The styles differ in the drone and jawari strings and in the number of tarab.
Which Sa should I tune my sarod to?
Follow your tanpura or your teacher. C is common for Maihar sarods; B and C♯ are also used. The tuner moves all targets together when you change Sa.
Can I tune the tarab strings here?
Not with these presets, because they change with each raga. Pluck one tarab at a time and check its note with the chromatic tuner.