Overview

NAAL IS A WOODEN TWO-HEADED DRUM. HEADS HELD IN PLACE AND TUNED BY BOLTS. PLAYER HOLDS THE NAAL HORIZONTALLY AND IT IS PLAYED WITH BOTH HEADS. NAAL IS AMONGST THE MSOT POPULAR PERCUSSION INSTRUMENTS IN INDIA THAT ARE COMMONLY USED IN FOLK MUSIC & DURING MARRIAGE CELEBRATIONS. THE SHELLS OF NAAL ARE MANUFACTURED IN UTTAR PRADESH IN INDIA. THE CRAFTSMAN USE LOCALLY GROWN NEEM AND ROSEWOOD TREE WOOD. THE HEADS ARE COVERED AND FITTED WITH GOATSKIN WITH THE HELP OF NUTS AND BOLT HARDWARE WHICH ALSO HELPS IN TUNING THE INSTRUMENT. NUTS USED IN NAAL CAN BE TUNED WITH A STANDARD WRENCH. THIS A PERCUSSION INSTRUMENT IS SIMILAR TO PAKHAWAJ THE ONLY DIFFERENCE BEING THAT IT IS SHORTER THAN PAKHAWAJ IN LENGTH. IT IS CONSIDERED TO BE A HYBRID INSTRUMENT FOR THE REASON THAT ON ONE SIDE IT HAS A HIGH PITCH TABLA HEAD, AND DHOLAK’S LOW PITCH SKIN ON THE OTHER.

A harmonium can be made to work using either the feet or the hands:

• In a foot-pumped harmonium, the player presses two pedals with his or her feet, one at a time. This is joined to a mechanism which operates a bellows, sending air to the reeds. In this way, both of the player's hands are free to play the keyboard. This type was invented in 1842 by Alexandre Debain of Paris, although similar instruments have been made in other places around the same time.
• In a hand-pumped harmonium, the player pushes and pulls a handle back and forth with one hand, which is joined to the bellows that blows the air. Because of this, he or she can only use one hand to play the keys as the other has to keep pumping the bellows. Some players can pump enough air with one hand, and then play the keys with both hands, when necessary.
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