KARACHI, April 4: The National Museum has put on display a pair of musical instruments, Yak-tara and Tal-tanpura, as part of its “Object of the month” series for April, says a press release.

It says that Pakistani instruments can be divided into three categories. First, the fascinating stringed instruments, such as Sarangi, Sarinda, Dilruba, Sitar, Sarod, etc.

Second, the percussion instruments, such as Tabla, Dholak, etc. And third, the wind instruments, such as Bansari, Shehnai, Alghoza, etc.

“Most of the stringed instruments are two to four feet in length and have hollow bellies. Some are round and others are oblong, using with a long stem used as a fingerboard. The fingerboard has sometimes only a metal plate as in the case of Sarod or more often only several movable or adjustable frets as in the case of Sitar which is called the Queen of Pakistani musical instruments. Some have to be played with a bow and others with a plectrum.

“The strings used in these instruments are made of either gut or metal usually of brass and steel used to produce resonance.”

It says that each musical composition is evolved by involving three main factors: melody, harmony and rhythm. “The Pakistan National Museum has some selection of stringed musical instruments played always in accompaniment. Of which the simplest and perhaps the most important is Tal Tanpura. It is the long necked lute and looks like Sitar with a similar hollow belly made of wood. With its four metal strings of different thickness that are pulled gentle from left to right the Tanpura produces a continuous hypnotic drone and it helps establish the Raaga.”

The press release says that the other instrument is Yak-Tara, made of wooden piece in width and long further embellished with pearled ornamented piece of cloth.