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Scan 6
Catalogue of the musical instruments exhibited in the Government Museum, Madras, 1931
39 lines. Read by computer on 27 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. No printed page number was found. See the scan on archive.org.
1closely accompanies the singer. The pitch of the concert-drum is invariably the same as the key-note of the singer or the principal performer.
3II.—CLASSIFICATION.
5Musical instruments are classified into—
6(1) Stringed instruments.
7(2) Wind instruments.
8(3) Percussion instruments.
10Stringed instruments known as Tata (तत)* vadyas in Sanskrit (நடுக்கருவிகள் in Tamil) are of three kinds:—
11(a) Bowed varieties: Violin, Sārangi, Dilruba and Bālasaraswati.
12(b) Plectral varieties, where the strings are plucked by the fingers or by a plectrum of wire or horn: vīṇa, gōṭuvādyam, sitar, swarabat, tambura and ektār.
13(c) Those struck with a hammer or a pair of sticks either directly or mechanically: Swaramandala, gettu vadyam, qanun and pianoforte.
15The bowed and the plectral varieties, where the strings are stopped, admit of two varieties each:—
16(1) Those with a plain finger-board: Violin, sārangi, sarode and gōṭuvādyam.
17(2) Those with frets: vina, sitar, dilruba and bālasaraswati.
19N.B.—The Swaramandala, harp, tambura, ektar, qanun and the gettu vadyam are played on open strings.
21Wind instruments known as Sushira (सुषिर) vādyas in Sanskrit (சுஷிர் வாத்தியங்கள் in Tamil) are of two kinds:—
22(1) Where the wind is supplied by a mechanical contrivance—commonly a bellows: organ and the harmonium.
23(2) Where the wind is supplied by the breath of the performer: conch and musical pipes.
25Gaurikālam, ekkālam, tiruchinnam, tārai, tutāri, bhūri, kombu and reed dulcimer are instances of musical pipes without finger-holes. While nāgaswaram, flute, mukhavīṇa and maguḍi are instances of musical pipes with finger-holes. one of two readings
26Gaurikālam, ekkālam, tiruchinnam, tārai, tutāri, bhūri, kombu and reed dulcimer are instances of musical pipes without finger-holes. While nāgaswaram, flute, mukhavīṇa and magudi are instances of musical pipes with finger-holes. one of two readings
28In some musical pipes, wind is blown through vibrating reeds or tongues or mouth-pieces: as in nāgaswaram, ottu, mukhavīṇa and maguḍi. one of two readings
29In some musical pipes, wind is blown through vibrating reeds or tongues or mouth-pieces: as in nāgaswaram, ottu, mukhavīṇa and magudi. one of two readings
31In others, wind is blown through an orifice in the wall of the instrument itself, as in the flute.
33Instruments of percussion which are mostly time-keeping instruments are of two kinds:—
34(1) Skin-covered instruments called avanaddha (अवन्द्ध) vādyas in sanskrit—வண்ட்டு சுவர் சுவர் in Tamil. one of two readings
35(1) Skin-covered instruments called avanaddha (अवनन्द) vādyas in sanskrit—வன்னட் சுவையில் in Tamil. one of two readings
36(2) Ghana (घन) vādyas—solid and weighty instruments of metal or wood—cymbals and castanets.
38* Vadya = musical instrument.
The computer misreads some letters and numbers. Where a name matters to you, read the scan.