Indian Music Forums

Tuning for Rebab GENERAL DISCUSSIONS
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351 posts Keshavdas 351 posts
Keshavdas
This is the tuning for a Afghani rabab (regardless of where it was manufactured).

Though the key of a concert Rubab is usually D, the strings are tuned, low to high, C#, F# and B. In addition, there are 12 to 16 wire sympathetic strings, which are tuned to the scale the raga is in - just like a sitar.
"More harm is done by fools through foolishness
then is done by evildoers through wickedness."

The Prophet Mohammed

http://www.keshav-music.com
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jeffrey 2 posts
jeffrey
Hi, I've just bought an Indian Rebab, and was wondering if anyone could give some advice on tuning it. To what pitches are the main and sympathetic strings commonly tuned?
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cwroyds Senior Member 2,307 posts
cwroyds
First are you sure it is an Indian Rebab and not an Afghani Rebab?
They are different things.
Indian Rebab is rare as the Sarod has taken over from it mostly.
Most times you see "Rebabs" on the net of elsewhere, they are Afghani Rebabs.

This is an Indian "Seni Rebab"
http://www.chandrakantha.com/articles/indian_music/seni.html

This is an Afghani "Kabuli Rebab"
http://www.chandrakantha.com/articles/indian_music/rabab.html
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coyootie 490 posts
coyootie
this instrument in the D Courtney article is a Swarabat, incorrectly identified as a senia rebab. Swarabat is a very obscure instrument, even moreso than Senia Rebab if that's possible. I've seen one photo of a South Indian Brahmin performer with a swarabat and that's as much info as I've ever uncovered! it's obviously somehow related to the Afghan rebab family, more than Senia rebab.
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jaan e kharabat 1,401 posts
jaan e kharabat
Jeffrey,

why don't you give Josh (sitarmac) a PM. He plays the rabab.
If there are just ''six tones'' in an octave [sic] then why have frets for tones that don't exist?
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cwroyds Senior Member 2,307 posts
cwroyds
I thought there was an Indian Rebab that was a bit like a Sursringar/Sarod mix or was somewhere between the Kabuli Rebab and a Sarod.
I cant for the life of me find a picture of one on the net. Maybe I am wrong.
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Keshavdas 351 posts
Keshavdas
Actually - while checking out various museums in India - I saw at least three "Indian Rababs" and they all looked totally different. There are a lot very intriguing looking stringed instruments floating around India that have mostly fallen out of popularity - ones that you'll never seen on any website. Particularly in Rajasthan, and in tribal areas.
K
"More harm is done by fools through foolishness
then is done by evildoers through wickedness."

The Prophet Mohammed

http://www.keshav-music.com
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jeffrey 2 posts
jeffrey
It was sold as an Afghan Rebab, but I bought it from India. The name "Afghan Rebab" seems to be used to distinguish these instruments from the bowed type of rebab. However, the rebab as played in Afghanistan seems to be slightly different from what is called an Afghan Rebab in India. For a start, the Afghani version is fretted whereas the Indian version isn't.
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cwroyds Senior Member 2,307 posts
cwroyds
Take a picture of your instrument and post it so we can see what it is.
I take it from your last reply that your Rebab has no frets. Correct?
Is the body more rounded like a Sarod or is it elongated like an Afghani Rebab.
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