28 November,2010 12:14 AM IST | | Yolande D'Mello
What's the difference between a tabla and a dagga? We beat you to it with a tour of percussion instruments from here to the Sahara, with a single visit to Mumbai's oldest music store
Engineer Benjamin Sequeira spends most of his day at iconic South Mumbai store Furtados Music. After a 15-year long technical stint, he is pursuing music as a full-time passion.
Benji is now a music teacher, and a familiar face to Furtados regulars. A trained drum instructor from Trinity College London, he hangs around to try his hand at new instruments, helping students pick a drum, or breaking into an impromptu jam.
Furtados keeps a track of artists around the world who may be creating new sounds by using tins, pipes, utensils and other bizarre tools that can be used as percussion instruments. "All you need is a rhythm within you to hear the music in the noise," says Anthony Gomes, partner at Furtados.
Talking of Indian percussionist Sivamani, who is known to make music using cola bottles, Gomes says, "Creativity is unrestricted when dealing with percussion, because it's technique-driven, not instrument-driven."
Gomes credits the store's drive to acquire novel instruments to the fact that their business revolves around providing audio equipment to local bands. "A lot of international acts have introduced Indian folk sounds to their music."
Their percussion collection is the result of extensive sourcing from all over the world. Benji has noticed how young talent is expanding its interest beyond the conventional drum. Folk instruments are the new draw.
"Fusion is an evolution that all genres of music go through. It means that we are getting more exposure to world music."
Drop in on a Monday afternoon, Saturday evening or just about any day, at any time, and Furtados is buzzing with not just customers but professional and aspiring musicians, and students of music who find harmony, quite literally, in their open-door policy.
They allow you to try any instrument even if you aren't looking for an immediate purchase. It is not uncommon then, for a tune to randomly break out and end up as a full-fledged performance bang in the middle of the store that has a 135 year-old legacy.
AT: Furtados, Jer Mahal, opposite Metro cinema, AP Marg. CALL: 66225454 The price range of the instruments is varied. A triangle will cost you Rs 80. A Marimba sells at Rs 2.32 lakh.
The know-your-drums table
Unlike the dholak which has a bass tone, the dholaki has a treble tone. The siyahi spot is on either side, though the ink is on the outside for one, and on the inside for the other.
You may not have heard of the Kachi but there isn't a Mumbaikar who hasn't seen one at Ganesh visarjan. It's built using goatskin on one side and synthetic plastic on the other to create an alternate bass-treble effect.
The construction of the duff is rather simple and uses goatskin stretched over a wooden rim on one side. It's open from the other. Used to create rhythm in folk songs, this is rarely used in other genres.
The tabla-dagga is the most famous Indian instrument. The smaller tabla is made of wood; the dagga is the metal drum that provides the bass. Tightened with leather strings, its pitch depends on the placement of the black siyahi spot.
The Dholak is barrel-shaped and finds its origins in north India and Pakistan. It is made using Shisham wood, which is acoustically more responsive. The dholak displays a siyahi spot only on the bass side of the drum.
The Congo come in a set of three (conga, quinto and tumbadora), but they can be played individually too. The difference in diameter is what gives each a unique sound.
The Taiko is a Japanese instrument that comes in all sizes and can be played with sticks or by hand. It's an integral part of most Japanese ceremonies.
The Udu can be mistaken for kitchenware; it resembles a pot with specially crafted holes around the base. It has its roots in Nigerian folk music. You have to drum the holes to create a resonance.
Djembe, pronounced Jem-bay ('gather together'), is fitted with nuts and bolts that tighten the goast's skin for a different pitch.
Bongos are Cuban percussion instruments that come in a pair, connected to each other.u00a0 Made of wood or metal, they are held between the knees to play.
Known as the talking drum, this African instrument is held under the arm and played with a curved stick. Tighten the ropes to change the beat.
