Musical Instruments of Bhangra

There are many different types of musical instruments used in Bhangra. Some are drum based like the dhol and others are string based like the tumbi. Instruments such as these are key to keeping the beat and the rhythm of the song and dance and accompany the singer's lyrics. Many of the songs that are sung are usually related to happy and sad events. These instruments listed are the some of the primary ones that are used in bhangra music. They may not all be accompanied in the music at a given time, but they are used. 

First off, there is the "Dhol." The dhol has been said to be the heart and soul of bhangra music because it provides the essential beat to which the music is based off of. It presents a rhythm to which the singer sings to and the dancers dance to. The dhol is basically a barrel-shaped drum that has been turned on it's side. It is usually made from a shell of hallowed-out mango or sheesham wood. Historically, both sides of the drum were made from goatskin, but today, plastic is sometimes used as a subsistute for one or both sides of the drum. These skins can be stretched or loosened with a tightening mechanism made up of either interwoven ropes, or nuts and bolts. Tightening or loosening the skins subtly alters the pitch of the drum sound.


It has two ends to which a person plays on with two wooden sticks, usually made out of bamboo or kane wood. One of these sticks is larger than the other, a crooked, heavier stick for the lower pitched sounds, and the other is a longer, thinner and more flexible stick used for the higher pitched sounds. The crooked stick is called dagga and the thinner stick is called the tili. The dagga is played on the bass side (the right of the drum) and the tili is played on the treble side (the left side of the drum). There are many rhythms to which dhol is played to. One of the most common one's is the Chaal, which consists of 8 beats per measure.

Next, the "Chimta." This steel instrument has a "ring-like" sound to it. It is c made out of two long, flat pieces of metal (usually iron) with the pointed ends. The rings are attached to the outsides of each flat metal peice. It is played by slapping the two steel ends together and allowing the metal rings on the top and bottom to meet each steel end and for the two steel bottoms to meet. The rings are plucked in a downward motion to create a tinkling sound.

The Algoje, a woodwind instrument is also called a jori/ngoza and it resembles a pair of wooden flutes which the musician plays by using three fingers on each side.  It is a very challenging instrument to play because the sounds are generated by breathing into it rapidly; the quick recapturing of breath on each beat creates a bouncing, swing rhythm. The algoza is generally used as a folk instrument and Punjabi folk singers use it to play traditional music such as Jugni, Jind Mahi, Mirza. However, it is also used for making contemporary Bhangra music. 

The Garah is a simple earthen pitcher that servers as a musical instrument in various folk songs. The musician strikes it's sides with rings worn on the fingers of one hand and also plays on it's open mouth with the other hand. This creates a distict rhythmic beat to which dancers can move on.

The tumbi is a traditional Punjabi string instrument. Its one string can 
produce both high and low tones. The body of the instrument is made from 
various types of wood over which a skin is stretched and strings are 
attached. It is played with the continuous flick and retraction of the forefinger. Famous Punjabi singers of traditional songs, such as Mahiya, Challa, Jindua and Jugni, have used the tumbi. The one-stringed tumbi is the most famous instrument in Bhangra and it is one of the most popular instruments used in folk music.

The name Sarangi is said to mean 'sau rang' (100 colours) or 'sa rang' (colours whatever it touches). It is the most important bowed bowed instrument of North Indian music. Like most stringed instruments, the sarangi has a wooden sound box. It's fingerboard is without frets and the sarangi is therefore a "blind" instrument. It is a wooden instrument about two feet long, cut from a single log covered with parchment. The ivory bridge, through which the strings pass, is placed upon leather parchment that is streached across the bottom half of the sound box.The sarangi has three main playing strings made of gut and thirty-six resonating (or sympathetic) metal strings, which are tuned to the notes of the particular Raga being played. This instrument is not played by stopping the strings with the fingers but is played with the fingernails.This allows subtle glides and embellishments.

Dhad is a small percussion instrument of the Damru style. Held in one hand, it is struck on either side, with the other hand holding the skinned sides vertically or horizontally. The musician achieves different modulations of sound by pulling the strings that tie its two heads.

The dafli, also popularly known as daf, dappler or tambourine is made of wooden ring with a double row of bells and a playing surface with a 10" diameter. It is struck with either hand and is shaken to create a "rattling" sound. There are many more musical instruments such as the sapera and the damru, that were not mentioned, but are used in Bhangra as well.