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| THE SITAR |
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Home / Hindu Culture / Music / Musical Instrument |
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| Introduction Sitar is perhaps the most well known of the Indian instruments. Artists such as Ravi Shankar have popularized this instrument around the world. Sitar is a long necked  instrument with an interesting
construction. It has a varying number of strings but 17 is usual. It
has three to four playing strings and three to four drone strings.
The approach to tuning is somewhat similar to other Indian stringed
instruments. These strings are plucked with a wire finger plectrum
called mizrab. There are also a series of sympathetic strings lying
under the frets. These strings are almost never played but they
vibrate whenever the corresponding note is sounded. The frets are
metal rods which have been bent into crescents. The main resonator
is usually made of a gourd and there is sometimes an additional
resonator attached to the neck.Sitar is used in a variety of genre. It is played in north Indian classical music (Hindustani Sangeet), film music, and western fusion music. It is not commonly found in south Indian classical performances or folk music. Origin of Sitar The sitar developed during the collapse of the Moghul empire (circa 1700). It reflected the culture of the times in that it showed both Indian and Persian characteristics. (go to "Origin of the Sitar" for a better description.) Parts of the Sitar The sitar is of a complex construction. It is crafted of natural materials by extremely talented and well trained craftsmen. (go to "Parts of the Sitar" or "Making the Sitar"for a better description.) Tuning the Sitar There are a number of options in tuning the sitar. Even the same instrument will be tuned differently from piece to piece, according to the requirements of the rag. for more information check out "Tuning the Sitar". Playing the Sitar The technique of the sitar is very involved. It is certainly advisable to have a teacher. However a good introduction to the basic technique is to be found in "Learning the Sitar". Making the Sitar The craft of making sitars is also very involved. It is certainly much more involved than can be covered on a webpage, however for a general overview, check out "Making the Sitar". Sitar Forum Check out a very active forum to discuss various aspects of the sitar. Go to "The Sitar Forum" |
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