Krsna Kirtana Songs est. 2001 www.kksongs.org
Care and Maintenance
Esraj
is a very delicate instrument and it takes a lot of responsibility to own and
care for such a precious instrument. Here are some good tips to follow when taking
care of your esraj
1) Get a case for it!
A
carrying case is worth the money for not just the esraj but for any musical
instrument you purchase. It looks more organized and it can be
"sheltered." Especially when you are transporting it from place to
place. Also with a carrying case, put some padding on there. I use spare bed
sheet for this.
2) Do not leave the instrument in a
room where there are extremes in temperature.
The
one thing to really worry about in the esraj is the fact that there is a goat-skin
belly where the bridge and all the strings go through. There is nothing under
to support it. Too hot of the temperature sucks up the moisture and it becomes
very tight. While this is great for the sound, too much tension on the goat
skin sound-board will cause it to break. If it is too cold, the sound will be
dull and the bone bridge will also break through the skin.
3) Do not leave it unattended!
Little
kids visit my home so often. When I know they are coming, I hide it! Kids love
experimenting. Don't let your instrument be their first project!
4) Be practical in tightening.
If
you read my tuning page, I mentioned how tightening the strings produce an even
sweeter sound. However, don't tighten it so much. If you do, you'll have the
bridge collapse or the tensions of the strings will push the bridge down
through the skin and break it. If you are accompanying someone of a higher key
than what your esraj can handle with your playing style, you might have redo
your frets and retune your string to "ma" or whatever note in order
to match accordingly. It's better to retune your entire instrument several
times than to break your current instrument and pay God knows how much for a
new one. It's better to buy a new instrument than get a re-head done in
5) Restring every six months.
If
you play it every day, restring your esraj every six months. If you play it
seldomly, I'd stretch it out to eight. Restringing the esraj is a very
difficult task, as there are so many strings. If you know an expert at this,
seek help first. When working with the sympathetic strings, number the peg and
its corresponding hole. NOT ALL PEGS SIZES ARE THE SAME! You'll be amazed how
people forget this and complain afterwards why their pegs don't fit anymore!
Once unassembled, string the sympathetic strings first. Then string the main
strings. Also, give it a time to rest in.
6) Lastly, treat it properly
Esraj
is an esraj. Play it like an esraj. Slide up and down for minds (glissandos).
Do not pull the string as you would do if you were playing a sitar. Also, don't
try to pluck the instrument and fret it like a sitar either. You won't get that
sympathetic vibration that you get with a sitar or sarod. Another reason why
you wouldn’t want to play it plucked it as because, the pressure and dynamic
movement one fretting notes will force the bridge down towards the goat-skin
and can cause it to break!