Tune Req: The Unthanks 'Magpie' keyboard name?

Subject: Tune Req: The Unthanks 'Magpie' keyboard name?
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Feb 22 - 10:10 AM

I like muchly drones of the musical kind and want to know the name of the single handed squeezie, single handed playing thingy keyboard used on the Unthanks' Magpie. Thank you and hooray for Unthanks.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: The Unthanks 'Magpie' keyboard name?
From: Helen
Date: 07 Feb 22 - 10:44 AM

The video is here:
The Unthanks - Magpie

The instrument is a
Harmonium

Subject: RE: Tune Req: The Unthanks 'Magpie' keyboard name?
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Feb 22 - 11:03 AM

A shruti box would do the trick, too, and much easier to play than a harmonium.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: The Unthanks 'Magpie' keyboard name?
From: Helen
Date: 07 Feb 22 - 12:43 PM

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan performing Mustt Mustt and playing harmonium (Live at WOMAD Yokohama 1992)

Subject: RE: Tune Req: The Unthanks 'Magpie' keyboard name?
From: Helen
Date: 07 Feb 22 - 02:47 PM

Sorry, my mistake. Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan in that particular video is not playing the harmonium but two other people are playing them.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: The Unthanks 'Magpie' keyboard name?
From: Piers Plowman
Date: 08 Feb 22 - 02:57 AM

Not the same thing, but a drone and possibly an alternative if you have an electric guitar is Electro Harmonix' Ravish Sitar effect pedal. I have one and I'm very happy with it. It has two outputs, one for lead and the other for the drone. In order to switch back and forth between lead alone and lead and drone, I had to buy an AB/Y pedal (from another manufacturer), which cost about 10-15€. I think this is a design flaw, but I can live with it. Of course, you can also turn off the lead and have the drone alone. The Ravish Sitar pedal currently costs 219 € at Thomann.

(I don't have any financial arrangement with EHX, Thomann or any other store or manufacturer.)

Thomann also has Shruti boxes from 220 to 350 € in price. They come in male and female varieties. You can save some money by buying one of each and leaving them in a room alone together.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: The Unthanks 'Magpie' keyboard name?
From: GUEST,Harry
Date: 08 Feb 22 - 05:31 AM

Youtube has a selection of recorded shruti drones.


This one in G - 5 kattai and 15 minutes long.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: The Unthanks 'Magpie' keyboard name?
From: GUEST,patriot
Date: 09 Feb 22 - 04:50 AM

the Unthanks have a built in drone 100pc of the time, so no need for this thread