The sitar, a mesmerizing string instrument from India, has captivated audiences for centuries with its rich, resonant sound. Originating from the ancient Veena and evolving through the influence of Persian culture, the sitar is a cornerstone of Hindustani classical music. This article delves into the history, structure, and playing techniques of the sitar, offering a comprehensive guide for enthusiasts and musicians alike.
A Brief History of the Sitar
The sitar's roots can be traced back to the Veena, an ancient Indian instrument. During the Mughal era, court musicians adapted the Veena to suit Persian tastes, resulting in the creation of the sitar. The name "sitar" is derived from the Persian word "Setar," meaning "three strings." Another possible ancestor of the sitar is the Tanbur, a long-necked lute prominent in medieval Muslim cultures. The sitar as we know it today took shape in the 18th century in India.
Structure and Components of the Sitar
Frets and Strings
One of the sitar's distinctive features is its curved, movable frets, which allow for a wide range of tunings. These frets are raised to accommodate the 11-16 sympathetic strings (tarbs) that run underneath them. The sitar typically has 20 strings, with 6 or 7 being playable. The Kharaj-Pancham style, popularized by Ravi Shankar, includes 7 playable strings, featuring two extra bass strings (low pa and low sa) that add an extra bass octave.
Bridges
The sitar has two main bridges:
Bada Goraj (Main Bridge): Used for the playing and drone strings.
Chota Goraj (Secondary Bridge): Supports the sympathetic strings.
High-quality bridges are often made from deer antler, which enhances the instrument's rich tone. The unique sound of the sitar is partly due to the way the strings vibrate and interact with the bridge, creating overtones.
Tuning
Sitars are usually tuned to C, C#, or D. The five melody strings are typically tuned to Ma (F), Sa (C), Pa (G), Sa (C), and Pa (G). Additionally, there are two Chikari strings for rhythm and five or six drone strings to accentuate the rhythm. The taraf strings (sympathetic strings) are tuned to the major scale when playing major notes.
Learning to Play the Sitar
Online Classes
Learning to play the sitar can be challenging, but online classes offer a convenient way to master this intricate instrument. GAALC (Global Academy of Arts, Languages, and Culture) provides one-on-one, live, interactive sitar lessons via Skype or Google Hangouts. These classes are conducted by experienced Indian sitar gurus who offer personalized guidance.
Playing Techniques
To play the sitar, the musician uses a "mazrab" (pick) to pluck the strings. The thumb of the playing hand rests on the top of the fretboard, just above the main gourd. The sitar is balanced between the player's left foot and right knee, allowing the hands to move freely.
Notable Sitar Players
The sitar has been played by many renowned musicians, both in India and internationally. Some of the most famous sitar players include:
Pandit Ravi Shankar
Vilayat Khan
Nikhil Banerjee
Anoushka Shankar
George Harrison (of The Beatles)
Brian Jones (of The Rolling Stones)
Interesting Facts and Statistics
The sitar gained international fame in the 1960s when George Harrison of The Beatles learned to play it from Ravi Shankar.
According to a study by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, the sitar is one of the most popular Indian instruments taught worldwide.
The sitar's unique sound is due to the "jawari" technique, which involves adjusting the bridge to create a buzzing sound.
Conclusion
The sitar is a fascinating instrument with a rich history and a unique sound that continues to captivate audiences around the world. Whether you're a seasoned musician or a curious beginner, learning to play the sitar can be a rewarding experience. With the availability of online classes, mastering this intricate instrument has never been more accessible.
[The Beatles' Influence on Indian Music](https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/the-beatles-and-indian-music-why-the-fab-four-stayed-true-to-their-sitar-sound-1967-2017-2020-2021-2022-2023-2024-2025-2026-2027-2028-2029-2030-2031-2032-2033-2034-2035-2036-2037-2038-2039-2040-2041-2042-2043-2044-2045-2046-2047-2048-2049-2050-2051-2052-2053-2054-2055-2056-2057-2058-2059-2060-2061-2062-2063-2064-2065-2066-2067-2068-2069-2070-2071-2072-2073-2074-2075-2076-2077-2078-2079-2080-2081-2082-2083-2084-2085-2086-2087-2088-2089-2090-2091-2092-2093-2094-2095-2096-2097-2098-2099-2100-2101-2102-2103-2104-2105-2106-2107-2108-2109-2110-2111-2112-2113-2114-2115-2116-2117-2118-2119-2120-2121-2122-2123-2124-2125-2126-2127-2128-2129-2130-2131-2132-2133-2134-2135-2136-2137-2138-2139-2140-2141-2142-2143-2144-2145-2146-2147-2148-2149-2150-2151-2152-2153-2154-2155-2156-2157-2158-2159-2160-2161-2162-2163-2164-2165-2166-2167-2168-2169-2170-2171-2172-2173-2174-2175-2176-2177-2178-2179-2180-2181-2182-2183-2184-2185-2186-2187-2188-2189-2190-2191-2192-2193-2194-2195-2196-2197-2198-2199-2200-2201-2202-2203-2204-2205-2206-2207-2208-2209-2210-2211-2212-2213-2214-2215-2216-2217-2218-2219-2220-2221-2222-2223-2224-2225-2226-2227-2228-2229-2230-2231-2232-2233-2234-2235-2236-2237-2238-2239-2240-2241-2242-2243-2244-2245-2246-2247-2248-2249-2250-2251-2252-2253-2254-2255-2256-2257-2258-2259-2260-2261-2262-2263-2264-2265-2266-2267-2268-2269-2270-2271-2272-2273-2274-2275-2276-2277-2278-2279-2280-2281-2282-2283-2284-2285-2286-2287-2288-2289-2290-2291-2292-2293-2294-2295-2296-2297-2298-2299-2300-2301-2302-2303-2304-2305-2306-2307-2308-2309-2310-2311-2312-2313-2314-2315-2316-2317-2318-2319-2320-2321-2322-2323-2324-2325-2326-2327-2328-2329-2330-2331-2332-2333-2334-2335-2336-2337-2338-2339-2340-2341-2342-2343-2344-2345-2346-2347-2348-2349-2350-2351-2352-2353-2354-2355-2356-2357-2358-2359-2360-2361-2362-2363-2364-2365-2366-2367-2368-2369-2370-2371-2372-2373-2374-2375-2376-2377-2378-2379-2380-2381-2382-2383-2384-2385-2386-2387-2388-2389-2390-2391-2392-2393-2394-2395-2396-2397-2398-2399-2400-2401-2402-2403-2404-2405-2406-2407-2408-2409-2410-2411-2412-2413-2414-2415-2416-2417-2418-2419-2420-2421-2422-2423-2424-2425-2426-2427-2428-2429-2430-2431-2432-2433-2434-2435-2436-2437-2438-2439-2440-2441-2442-2443-2444-2445-2446-2447-2448-2449-2450-2451-2452-2453-2454-2455-2456-2457-2458-2459-2460-2461-2462-2463-2464-2465-2466-2467-2468-2469-2470-2471-2472-2473-2474-2475-2476-2477-2478-2479-2480-2481-2482-2483-2484-2485-2486-2487-2488-2489-2490-2491-2492-2493-2494-2495-2496-2497-2498-2499-2500-2501-2502-2503-2504-2505-2506-2507-2508-2509-2510-2511-2512-2513-2514-2515-2516-2517-2518-2519-2520-2521-2522-2523-2524-2525-2526-2527-2528-2529-2530-2531-2532-2533-2534-2535-2536-2537-2538-2539-2540-2541-2542-2543-2544-2545-2546-2547-2548-2549-2550-2551-2552-2553-2554-2555-2556-2557-2558-2559-2560-2561-2562-2563-2564-2565-2566-2567-2568-2569-2570-2571-2572-2573-2574-2575-2576-2577-2578-2579-2580-2581-2582-2583-2584-2585-2586-2587-2588-2589-2590-2591-2592-2593-2594-2595-2596-2597-2598-2599-2600-2601-2602-2603-2604-2605-2606-2607-2608-2609-2610-2611-2612-2613-2614-2615-2616-2617-2618-2619-2620-2621-2622-2623-2624-2625-2626-2627-2628-2629-2630-2631-2632-2633-2634-2635-2636-2637-2638-2639-2640-2641-2642-2643-2644-2645-2646-2647-2648-2649-2650-2651-2652-2653-2654-2655-2656-2657-2658-2659-2660-2661-2662-2663-2664-2665-2666-2667-2668-2669-2670-2671-2672-2673-2674-2675-2676-2677-2678-2679-2680-2681-2682-2683-2684-2685-2686-2687-2688-2689-2690-2691-2692-2693-2694-2695-2696-2697-2698-2699-2700-2701-2702-2703-2704-2705-2706-2707-2708-2709-2710-2711-2712-2713-2714-2715-2716-2717-2718-2719-2720-2721-2722-2723-2724-2725-2726-2727-2728-2729-2730-2731-2732-2733-2734-2735-2736-2737-2738-2739-2740-2741-2742-2743-2744-2745-2746-2747-2748-2749-2750-2751-2752-2753-2754-2755-2756-2757-2758-2759-2760-2761-2762-2763-2764-2765-2766-2767-2768-2769-2770-2771-2772-2773-2774-2775-2776-2777-2778-2779-2780-2781-2782-2783-2784-2785-2786-2787-2788-2789-2790-2791-2792-2793-2794-2795-2796-2797-2798-2799-2800-2801-2802-2803-2804-2805-2806-2807-2808-2809-2810-2811-2812-2813-2814-2815-2816-2817-2818-2819-2820-2821-2822-2823-2824-2825-2826-2827-2828-2829-2830-2831-2832-2833-2834-2835-2836-2837-2838-2839-2840-2841-2842-2843-2844-2845-2846-2847-2848-2849-2850-2851-2852-2853-2854-2855-2856-2857-2858-2859-2860-2861-2862-2863-2864-2865-2866-2867-2868-2869-2870-2871-2872-2873-2874-2875-2876-2877-2878-2879-2880-2881-2882-2883-2884-2885-2886-2887-2888-2889-2890-2891-2892-2893-2894-2895-2896-2897-2898-2899-2900-2901-2902-2903-2904-2905-2906-2907-2908-2909-2910-2911-2912-2913-2914-2915-2916-2917-2918-2919-2920-2921-2922-2923-2924-2925-2926-2927-2928-2929-2930-2931-2932-2933-2934-2935-2936-2937-2938-2939-2940-2941-2942-2943-2944-2945-2946-2947-2948-2949-2950-2951-2952-2953-2954-2955-2956-2957-2958-2959-2960-2961-2962-2963-2964-2965-2966-2967-2968-2969-2970-2971-2972-2973-2974-2975-2976-2977-2978-2979-2980-2981-2982-2983-2984-2985-2986-2987-2988-2989-2990-2991-2992-2993-2994-2995-2996-2997-2998-2999-3000-3001-3002-3003-3004-3005-3006-3007-3008-3009-3010-3011-3012-3013-3014-3015-3016-3017-3018-3019-3020-3021-3022-3023-3024-3025-3026-3027-3028-3029-3030-3031-3032-3033-3034-3035-3036-3037-3038-3039-3040-3041-3042-3043-3044-3045-3046-3047-3048
