M3 Shruti Box

Our premier Shruti Box, the M3 was developed to work seamlessly with the Bowring foot pedal, with the gigging musician in mind. The result, a larger instrument than our standard M1, with enhanced air capacity and wooden swivel feet which provide extra stability and sound insulation between instrument and floor. The M3 is a delight to play by hand or foot, offering long sustain, a smooth action when pedaling and fine control of volume – from quiet to loud. Built from reclaimed Burmese teak, a hard and durable tonewood, the M3 produces a warm, tight and rich drone with clear harmonics. This enables the player to project a sound which is audible within the mix.

The M3 provides a great sounding accompaniment for the guitar, hand-pan, flute, violin, voice and other instruments. Available in 2 keys, C and Low G.

13 tone chromatic scale keyboard
Reeds fine-tuned & voiced to A440 Hz
Carry case, user guide & chord chart
Maintenance kit with reed tool
12 month parts & labour warranty

Select key to view:

C

M3 C

Light gauge brass reeds are used for a bright and responsive sound.

The highest key in our range, the M3 C has a thirteen tone chromatic scale range corresponding to C3 – C4 on the piano. It is a natural match for the female voice, the male tenor and children’s voices. Some men with lower pitched, bass and baritone voices choose the C because they like the sound and want to develop their upper register.

Higher pitched drone chords occupy a part of the frequency spectrum which allows the drone to blend well in the musical mix together with other instruments. The M3 C can add a driving energy to the music, or played softly can weave in and out, adding colour and texture. C is a popular key with flute, guitar and other lead instrument players. Played slowly, the M3 C will create a softer, quieter sounding drone. This has made it a popular choice for music therapists and healing practitioners.

C tuning keyboard layout of Shruti Box M3

M3 C Technical Specification

Tonal Range	One octave, thirteen tone, chromatic scale keyboard ranging from C3 to C4 (piano equivalent).
Pitch	Reeds fine-tuned to A=440 Hz standard concert.
Reeds	Light gauge brass reeds for a responsive, bright tone with subtle harmonics.
Tonewoods	Reclaimed Burmese teak (Tectona grandis) body and reed-board.
Dynamics control	The counter-balanced dual bellows are smooth running and free of mechanical noise due to our new torsion-spring system. This unique design makes playing easy and satisfying, with optimum control over sustain and sound levels, from loud and strong through to soft and quiet. Wood finish Dark mahogany colour with wood grain showing through.
Wood finish	Natural teak colour with grain showing through.
Bellows colour	Red with repeating white bindi pattern design.
Metal fittings	Brass screws, handle, feet and catch-plate.
Weight	3.8 kg (average)
Dimensions	41 x 30 x 6.5 cm

Low G

M3 Low G

The M3 Low G is made from reclaimed Burmese teak, a hard and resilient tonewood with excellent acoustic properties. Light–medium gauge bronze reeds are used for a strong, deep and rich drone sound which holds together well in the lower register.

Five semitones lower than the C, the Low G is the lowest key in our range. With a thirteen tone chromatic scale range corresponding to G2 – G3 on the piano, it is a natural match for the male bass and baritone voice.

The Low G is also played by female singers who want a deep, strong sounding instrument as a contrast for the higher voice. Overtone singers use the Low G to create deep drone chords which support their singing style.

The Low G is the most popular key in our range for instrumental musicians. The combination of a low drone accompaniment and higher pitched instruments creates an immersive full tone-spectrum experience which can be very inspiring for players and listeners alike. Lead instruments such as flutes, saxophones, violins and guitars are brought to the fore by the use of a low background drone. The versatile Low G enables lighter sounding higher pitched chords such as C major to also be made on the same keyboard. This can open up a new musical possibilities. The Low G is well suited to most hand-pan (hang, halo) tunings and the timbres of both instruments sound good together.

M3 Low G Technical Specification

Tonal Range	One octave, thirteen tone, chromatic scale keyboard ranging from G2 to G3 (piano equivalent).
Pitch	Reeds fine-tuned to A=440 Hz standard concert.
Reeds	Light–medium gauge bronze reeds for definition and richness in the lower register.
Tonewoods	Reclaimed Burmese teak (Tectona grandis) body and reed-board.
Dynamics control	The counter-balanced dual bellows are smooth running and free of mechanical noise due to our new torsion-spring system. This unique design makes playing easy and satisfying, with optimum control over sustain and sound levels, from loud and strong through to soft and quiet. Wood finish Dark mahogany colour with wood grain showing through.
Wood finish	Natural teak colour with grain showing through.
Bellows colour	Red with repeating white bindi pattern design.
Metal fittings	Brass screws, handle, feet and catch-plate.
Weight	3.8 kg (average)
Dimensions	41 x 30 x 6.5 cm

M3