Relaxing MusicIndian music · the raga clock

Raga Clock / Instruments

Five instruments, all playable

Play the instrumentsवाद्य

Pluck a sitar, blow a bansuri, strike a santoor, play the tabla's strokes, or just let the tanpura hum. Every key is a note of the raga you choose, so nothing sounds wrong.

▶  More sitarMore in the library
Meet them

Each instrument, up close

Sitar सितारLong-necked lute with movable frets and a buzzing bridge Bansuri बाँसुरीSide-blown bamboo flute with no keys Santoor संतूरKashmir's hammered dulcimer of about a hundred strings Tabla तबलाThe pair of hand drums, and the rhythm cycles called taal Tanpura तानपुराThe drone under the raga

How to play

  • Sitar: tap to pluck. Hold a note and drag upward to bend it, as a sitarist pulls the string along the fret (meend).
  • Bansuri: press and hold to blow. Slide to another note without lifting to glide between them.
  • Santoor: tap to strike; hold for a fast tremolo; swipe across for a cascade.
  • Tabla: tap the strokes (bols), or start a rhythm cycle (taal) and play along.
  • On a computer: the keys A, S, D, F and onward play the notes from low to high.

Every note is a real recording of the instrument, from Freesound, re-tuned in your browser to the raga and the Sa you choose (if the recordings can't load, a synthesized stand-in plays). Nothing plays until you tap, and the sound stops when you leave the page. For whole performances, listen to our channel.

Cousins further east: China's dizi (a bamboo flute), pipa (a lute) and yangqin (a hammered dulcimer modelled on the Persian santur) are distant relatives of the bansuri, sitar and santoor.

Sound credits

The instruments use recordings shared on Freesound. We cut single notes from them, evened out their volume and re-tune them as you play. Thank you to everyone who recorded them.

▶  More bansuriMore in the library