Editing Shruti box (section)

{{Short description|Indian musical instrument}}
{{More citations needed|date=December 2011}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2020}}
{{About|the musical instrument|the series of internet music videos by Shankar Tucker|Shankar Tucker#The ShrutiBox}}
[[File:Shruti box top quality.jpg|thumb|One side of the shruti box]]
[[File:A depiction of shruti box play.JPG|thumb|Playing the shruti box]]
[[File:A play of Manual Shruti Box.ogv|thumb|Playing the shruti box]]
[[File:Musicians in Bull Temple.jpg|thumb|right|A shruti box and a [[nadaswaram]]]]
[[File:An depiction of electronic shruti box.JPG|right|thumb|An electronic shruti box]]
A '''shruti box''' ('''sruti box''', '''shrutibox''', '''srutibox''' or '''surpeti''') is a [[musical instrument]], originating from the [[Indian subcontinent]], that traditionally works on a system of [[bellows]]. It is similar to a [[Indian harmonium|harmonium]] and is used to provide a [[drone (music)|drone]] in a practice session or [[concert]] of [[Indian classical music]].<ref>{{cite news|title=The Magic of Hindu Music: Exploring the religious, historical and social forces that shaped Hindu music and now propel it into the future|url=http://www.hinduismtoday.com/modules/smartsection/print.php?itemid=1515|access-date=6 December 2011|newspaper=[[Hinduism Today Magazine|Hinduism Today]]|date=1 October 2007|author=Dr. Guy L. Beck}}</ref> It is used as an accompaniment to other instruments and notably the flute. The shruti box is also used in classical singing. In classical singing, the shruti box is used to help tune the voice. The use of the shruti box has widened with the cross-cultural influences of [[world music]] and [[new-age music]] to provide a drone for many other instruments as well as vocalists and mantra singing.

Adjustable buttons allow tuning. Nowadays, [[Electronic tanpura|electronic shruti boxes]] are commonly used, which are called ''shruthi pettige'' in [[Kannada]], ''shruti petti'' in [[Tamil language|Tamil]], [[Malayalam language|Malayalam]], and [[Telugu language|Telugu]], and ''sur peti'' in [[Hindi]].<ref>{{cite book|title=Children's Book of Music|year=2010|publisher=[[DK Publishing]]|isbn=9780756676384|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RYbKmjRSYuYC&q=%22surpeti%22&pg=PA33|page=33}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Montes|first=Manuel|title=Nóirín Ní Riain: Celtic Soul|url=http://www.amazings.com/articles/article0030.html|work=Amazing Sounds|access-date=6 December 2011}}</ref>
Recent versions also allow for changes to be made in the tempo, and the notes such as Madhyamam, Nishadam to be played in place of the usual three notes (i.e., lower shadjam, panchamam, and the upper shadjam).