How to Play the Harmonium in Hindustani Vocal Music

The harmonium plays an important part in Hindustani vocal music. The keyboard portion, designed like a piano keyboard, consists of 3 1/2 octaves and in the back portion the bellows function similar to a reed organ. The harmonium player never needs to tune the instrument. Hindustani vocalists can accompany themselves with it, or someone else can play it. Here's how to play the harmonium.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1. Sit on the floor next to the harmonium. Open the cover. Unfasten any latches which might hold the bellows closed.

2. Pull out all the "stops" (the buttons along the front of the harmonium). Some of these "stops" control the constant drone produced and some control the amount of air flowing through the reeds of the bellows.

3. Place your left hand on the back left corner of the case and the bellows so you can use your fingers to open and close the bellows. This pumps the air into the harmonium.

4. Start pumping with your left hand, maintaining a steady pace. Once full of air the bellows will force any extra air through the reeds inside the bellows, making a sound.

5. Play the keyboard with your right hand while continuing to pump the bellows with your left hand.

6. Open and close the different "stops" while maintaining the drone and playing the keyboard to obtain a variety of effects.

Tips & Warnings

• The 8 pure notes of the Hindustani scale ("SA," "RE," "GA," "MA," "PA," "DHA," "NI, "SA") correspond to the 8 notes "do," "re," "me," "fa," "so," "la," "ti," "do."
• Hindustani vocalists most often use the "A sharp," "C sharp," "D sharp," "F sharp" and "G sharp" keys for the drone.
• Pumping the bellows without opening up some of the "stops" can damage the bellows because you force air into the bellows without allowing any air to also escape.
• Allow all air to escape from the bellows before closing the "stops" and fastening the bellow latches at the end of the playing session. Not doing this can damage the bellows.