What is a sitar?
The sitar is a stringed instrument that originated in India, and it’s known for producing a distinct, vibratory tone. Like the guitar, the sitar is played using a series of strings and frets that run up and down the instrument.
How do you pluck a sitar?
Musicians hold the sitar at a 45° angle on their laps while seated. They pluck the strings with a wire plectrum worn on the right forefinger while the left hand manipulates the strings with subtle pressure on or between the frets and with sideways pulls of the strings.
How many strings does the sitar have?
The sitar has 18-21 strings in total: 6-7 top strings and 11-14 bottom strings. The exact number of strings depends on the type of sitar. Similar to a guitar, you’ll notice that the strings are attached to pegs. These pegs are used for tuning. Each of the top strings on the sitar is tuned to a different note.
How do I perform a sitar leg press?
Lift up your right knee, then rest the body of the sitar in the arch of your left foot. First, lift your right knee up so it's directly in front of you, with your right foot still touching the floor. Your left leg should be bent under your right leg so the bottom of your left foot is facing up.
How does the sitar produce sound?
The sound of a sitar: The sitar is a musical instrument which has strings of different thicknesses. The musician plucks the strings in such a way to produce the required sound. The sound is produced as a result of the vibration of the stretched strings on the instrument.
What is a sitar and how is it played?
Sitar is a plucked string instrument popularized by Hindustani classical musicHindustani classical musicHindustani classical music is the classical music of northern regions of the Indian subcontinent. It may also be called North Indian classical music or, in Hindustani, shastriya sangeet (śāstriya saṅgīt). It is played in instruments like the violin, sitar and sarod.https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Hindustani_classical_musicHindustani classical music - Wikipedia. The Sitar instrument is typically 1.2 meters, or four feet, in length and is played sitting down with the instrument held at a 45-degree angle.
How many stings does a sitar have?
A sitar has 13 sympathetic strings, although some may have only 11 or 12 sympathetic strings. They are also called tarab, taraf, or tarafdar. These strings run under the frets and are never played.
What is unique about the sitar?
The First Sitar Only Had Three Strings During the 1700s, the sitar went from three to five strings, as was used in the Hamir-Raso by Rajasthan author Jodhraj. Today, however, the instrument can have 18, 19, 20, and even 21 strings. Despite there being up to 21 strings, the sitar player only plays one set of strings.
Do sitar players use a pick?
The sitar is usually played while seated, with the player holding the instrument at a 45-degree angle in the lap. The right hand is used to pluck the played strings with a metallic pick, called a mizraab.
Is sitar difficult to learn?
It is very, very difficult to play the sitar well.
How much does a sitar cost?
How much do sitars cost? Sitars range in price from just about $300 to over $1,000 USD depending on brand name, quality of construction, condition, and other factors.
What key is a sitar?
A sitar can be tuned a variety of ways and can be tuned to different keys usually from B to D. A fairly standard tuning is the key of C; however, certain performers such as Ravi ShankarRavi ShankarA sitar virtuoso, he became the world's best-known export of North Indian classical music in the second half of the 20th century, and influenced many musicians in India and throughout the world. Shankar was awarded India's highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna, in 1999.https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Ravi_ShankarRavi Shankar - Wikipedia tune their sitars to C#.
What are sitar strings made of?
Made of thick steel or brass wire, it is worn on the tip of the index finger of the right hand, and the sound is produced by striking the main string of the instrument. There are five styles of the musician's sitting position and of holding a sitar.
Is sitar harder than violin?
Sitar is a better instrument among the two. The violin is harder to learn because it has no frets whatsoever and takes tremendously delicate bowingbowingNoun. archet m (plural archets) bow (rod used for playing stringed instruments)https://en.wiktionary.org › wiki › archetarchet - Wiktionary effort in order to sound good. So it has a harder learning curve than the sitar.
What is sitar music called?
The sitar flourished in the 16th and 17th centuries and arrived at its present form in the 18th century. Today it is the dominant instrument in Hindustani musicHindustani musicHindustani classical music is the classical music of northern regions of the Indian subcontinent. It may also be called North Indian classical music or, in Hindustani, shastriya sangeet (śāstriya saṅgīt). It is played in instruments like the violin, sitar and sarod.https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Hindustani_classical_musicHindustani classical music - Wikipedia; it is used as a solo instrument with tambura (drone-lute) and tabla (drums) and in ensembles, as well as for northern Indian kathak (dance-dramas).
What is sitar called in English?
sitar in British English or sittar (sɪˈtɑː , ˈsɪtɑː ) noun. a stringed musical instrument, esp of India, having a long neck, a rounded body, and movable frets.
What kind of musical instrument is a sitar?
Sitar is a stringed instrument made of wood, tun wood, metal, gourd, and chikari. Majorly used in classical concerts all over North India as a solo instrument.
What is sitar music called?
Hindustani classical musicThe sitar (English: /ˈsɪtɑːr/ or /sɪˈtɑːr/; IAST: sitāra) is a plucked stringed instrument, originating from the Indian subcontinent, used in Hindustani classical musicHindustani classical musicHindustani classical music is the classical music of northern regions of the Indian subcontinent. It may also be called North Indian classical music or, in Hindustani, shastriya sangeet (śāstriya saṅgīt). It is played in instruments like the violin, sitar and sarod.https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Hindustani_classical_musicHindustani classical music - Wikipedia.
What is sitar called in English?
sitar in British English or sittar (sɪˈtɑː , ˈsɪtɑː ) noun. a stringed musical instrument, esp of India, having a long neck, a rounded body, and movable frets.
How much does a sitar cost?
How much do sitars cost? Sitars range in price from just about $300 to over $1,000 USD depending on brand name, quality of construction, condition, and other factors.
What is the construction style of sitar?
There are two popular modern styles of sitar: the fully decorated "instrumental style" (sometimes called the "Ravi Shankar style") and the "gayaki" style (sometimes called the "" Vilayat Khan "" style). Close-up of the pen work on a "Ravi Shankar style" sitar.
What is the tuning of the sitar?
Tuning depends on the sitarist's school or style, tradition and each artist's personal preference. The main playing string is almost invariably tuned a perfect fourth above the tonic, the second string being tuned to the tonic. The tonic in the Indian solfège system is referred to as ṣaḍja, ṣaḍaj, or the shortened form sa, or khaṛaj, a dialectal variant of ṣaḍaj, not as vād, and the perfect fifth to which one or more of the drones strings are tuned is referred to as pañcam, not samvād .
How many strings does a sitar have?
A sitar can have 18, 19, 20, or 21 strings. Six or seven of these are played strings which run over curved, raised frets, and the remainder are sympathetic strings ( tarb, also known as taarif or tarafdaar) which run underneath the frets and resonate in sympathy with the played strings. These strings are generally used to set the mood of a raga at the very beginning of a presentation. The frets, which are known as pardā or thaat, are movable, allowing fine-tuning. The played strings run to tuning pegs on or near the head of the instrument, while the sympathetic strings, which are a variety of different lengths, pass through small holes in the fretboard to engage with the smaller tuning pegs that run down the instrument's neck.
What is a sitar bowl made of?
The bowl, which had been made of glued lathes of wood was now made of gourd, with metal frets and a bone nut on the neck. By about 1725, the name sitar was used in the Hammir-raso by Jodhraj, a Rajasthan author. The instrument had 5 strings by this time. The beginnings of the modern 7-string tuning were present too.
How many strings does a 19th century sitar have?
19th century sitar with 4 strings. 19th century sitar. This instrument does not have sympathetic strings. The predominant western scholarly opinion of the sitar's origin is that, the sitar evolved from one or more instruments of the tanbūr family, long necked lutes which they argue were introduced and popularised during the period of Mughal rule.
What are the different types of sitars?
Amongst all sitar styles, there are student styles, beginner models, semi-pro styles, pro-models, master models, and so on. Prices are often determined by the manufacturer's name and not by looks alone or materials used. Some sitars by certain manufacturers fetch very high collectible prices. Most notable are older Rikhi Ram (Delhi) and older Hiren Roy (Kolkata) sitars depending upon which master built the instrument.
What songs did the Beatles play with the sitar?
The sitar saw use in Western popular music when, guided by David Crosby 's championing of Shankar, George Harrison played it on the Beatles ' songs " Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) ", " Love You To " and " Within You Without You ", recorded between 1965 and 1967. The Beatles' association with the instrument helped popularise Indian classical music among Western youth, particularly once Harrison began receiving tutelage from Shankar and the latter's protégé Shambhu Das in 1966. That same year, Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones used a sitar on " Paint It Black " while another English guitarist, Dave Mason, played it on Traffic 's 1967 hits " Paper Sun " and " Hole in My Shoe ". These and other examples marked a trend of featuring the instrument in pop songs which Shankar later described as "the great sitar explosion". Speaking to KRLA Beat in July 1967, he said: "Many people, especially young people, have started listening to sitar since George Harrison, one of the Beatles, became my disciple ... It is now the 'in' thing."
What is the sitar used for in Hindustani music?
Today it is the dominant instrument in Hindustani music; it is used as a solo instrument with tambura (drone-lute) and tabla (drums) and in ensembles, as well as for northern Indian kathak (dance-dramas). Two modern schools of sitar playing in India are the Ravi Shankar and Vilayat Khan schools, each with its own playing style, ...
Where did the sitar originate?
The word sitar is derived from the Persian word sehtar, meaning “three-stringed.”. The instrument appears to have descended from long-necked lutes taken to India from Central Asia. The sitar flourished in the 16th and 17th centuries and arrived at its present form in the 18th century.
What are the two sitar schools in India?
Two modern schools of sitar playing in India are the Ravi Shankar and Vilayat Khan schools, each with its own playing style, type of sitar (varying in size, shape, number of strings, etc.), and tuning system. Ravi Shankar playing the sitar.
What hand do you use to pluck the strings?
They pluck the strings with a wire plectrum worn on the right forefinger while the left hand manipulates the strings with subtle pressure on or between the frets and with sideways pulls of the strings. Sitars. The word sitar is derived from the Persian word sehtar, meaning “three-stringed.”.
What is the gourd on a sitar?
The convex metal frets are tied along the neck, which enables them to be moved as needed. The sitar often has a resonating gourd under the pegbox end of the neck; this balances the weight of the instrument and helps support it when it is not being played.
How long is a sitar?
Typically measuring about 1.2 metres (4 feet) in length, the sitar has a deep pear-shaped gourd body; a long, wide, hollow wooden neck; both front and side tuning pegs; and 20 arched movable frets.
What instruments did the Beatles use in the 1960s?
In the 1960s the sounds of South Asian instruments, especially the sitar, influenced a number of rock performers. George Harrison, the lead guitarist of the Beatles, studied the sitar and played the instrument on several songs, beginning with “ Norwegian Wood ” (1965).
How to do a sitar?
2. Lift up your right knee, then rest the body of the sitar in the arch of your left foot. First, lift your right knee up so it's directly in front of you, with your right foot still touching the floor. Your left leg should be bent under your right leg so the bottom of your left foot is facing up.
How to play the sitar?
1. Get into a comfortable cross-legged position on the floor. Un like with other string instruments, you need to play the sitar while sitting on the floor so you can use your whole body to support the instrument. Take off your shoes too, since you'll be supporting the body of the sitar with one of your bare feet.
What are the notes on a sitar?
The notes for each fret changes depending on which string you're pressing against them. For example, if your sitar is tuned to the key of C, the notes for each fret on the first string in order from the first fret (the fret furthest from the body) to the last would be: Ma, Pa, Dha, Dha, Ni, Ni, Sa, Re, Ga, Ga, Ma, Ma, Pa, Dha, Ni, Ni, Sa, Re, Ga. The notes for each fret on the second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh strings would be different.
How to play a sitar with your right hand?
Your right hand should be at the base of the neck. Place your right thumb on the back of the instrument’s neck, just below the bottom fret. Position the rest of your fingers so they’re hovering above the strings on the front of the instrument.
What key is the sitar tuned to?
Each of the top strings on the sitar is tuned to a different note. These notes can change depending on the key that the sitar is tuned to, but usually sitars are tuned to the key of C for beginners.
What is the Sa note?
Sa is always the tonic note (the first note of a scale). For example, if a sitar is tuned to the key of C, then Sa is C.
What is the Indian musical scale?
Learn the Indian musical scale. The indian musical scale is similar to the Western major scale. Instead of “Do, Re, Mi, Fa, So, La, Ti, Do,” the Indian names for the notes are “Sa, Re, Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, Ni, Sa.” Each string on the sitar corresponds with one of these notes. Since India uses a relative tuning system, the names of the notes that correspond with each string never change, regardless of what key you’re tuning the instrument to.
Overview
Physical description
A sitar can have 18, 19, 20, or 21 strings; 6 or 7 of these run over curved, raised frets and are played strings; the remainder are sympathetic strings (tarb, also known as taarif or tarafdaar), running underneath the frets and resonating in sympathy with the played strings. These strings are generally used to set the mood of a raga at the very beginning of a presentation. The frets, which are kn…
Etymology
The word sitar originates from the Persian si [three] + tar [strings].
History
The book "The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians" suggests possibility of the sitar's origin as that evolved from one or more instruments of the tanbūr family, long necked lutes which it argues were introduced and popularised during the period of Mughal rule. Allyn Miner, a concert performer and a Senior Lecturer in the Department of South Asia Studies at the Universit…
Construction styles
There are two popular modern styles of sitar: the fully decorated "instrumental style" (sometimes called the "Ravi Shankar style") and the "gayaki" style (sometimes called the "Vilayat Khan" style).
The instrumental style sitar is most often made of seasoned toon wood, but sometimes made of Burma teak. It is often fitted with a second resonator, a sm…
Tuning of sitar
Tuning depends on the sitarist's school or style, tradition and each artist's personal preference. The main playing string is almost invariably tuned a perfect fourth above the tonic, the second string being tuned to the tonic. The tonic in the Indian solfège system is referred to as ṣaḍja, ṣaḍaj, or the shortened form sa, or khaṛaj, a dialectal variant of ṣaḍaj, not as vād, and the perfect fifth to whi…
Playing
The instrument is balanced between the player's left foot and right knee. The hands move freely without having to carry any of the instrument's weight. The player plucks the string using a metallic pick or plectrum called a mizraab. The thumb stays anchored on the top of the fretboard just above the main gourd. Generally, only the index and middle fingers are used for fingering although a few players occasionally use the third. A specialized technique called "meend" involves pulling the m…
World music influence
In the late 1950s and early 1960s Ravi Shankar, along with his tabla player, Alla Rakha, began a further introduction of Indian classical music to Western culture.
The sitar saw use in Western popular music when, guided by David Crosby's championing of Shankar, George Harrison played it on the Beatles' songs "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)", "Love You To" and "Within You With…