In the Indian solfège system, the tonic is called the Sa (short for ṣaḍja). In most styles, one played string is tuned to ‘Sa’, and the second is tuned to a perfect fourth above the tonic, ‘Pa’ in Indian and ‘Fa’ in the Western solfège system. KRLA staff (29 July 1967). " 'My Music Not For Addicts' – Shankar" (PDF). KRLA Beat. p.18 . Retrieved 19 August 2015. 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. Ashwin Batish teaches sitar by video. Two videos are now ready. Each is about an hour long. The first is titled "Introduction to Sitar" the second is titled "Begining Sitar Exercises." More tutor videos are on the way.

In recent times, the sitar has faced challenges in maintaining its traditional heritage amidst the ever-evolving musical landscape. Despite this, there remains a devoted community of sitar enthusiasts, musicians, and scholars who continue to uphold its legacy. Governments and organizations in India have taken initiatives to promote and preserve the rich heritage of sitar playing through festivals, workshops, and financial support to artists.The Gandhar Pancham, otherwise known as the Vilayat Khan style sitar, contains four drone strings, two melody strings, and 11 sympathetic strings.

So, there is no standard or default sitar tuning. It varies heavily based on the school (gharana), raga (melodic framework), and stylistic variance.

Ravi Shankar Style

If you watch online videos, you will notice that people prefer to talk about tuning the sitar using the Indian equivalent of Solfege called sargam. The Sitar: Origin, Culture, and More: Featuring Dr. Usman Chohan. The Intelligentsia. Interviews: Episode 4. 11 April 2023. Another, more minor hypothesis is that the sitar is derived from locally developed Indian instruments, such as the veena, prior to the arrival of Islam. Indian temple sculptures from the 9th and 10th centuries are known to feature sitar-like instruments. [13] However, according to Allyn Miner, the evidence for this theory is too weak for any conclusion. [14] Learning to play the sitar is no easy feat. It requires years of rigorous training and dedication. Traditionally, students would undergo an apprenticeship under a guru, a renowned sitar maestro, passing down knowledge through the guru-shishya parampara (teacher-student tradition). Today, formal sitar education is available in music schools and universities, but the importance of personal mentorship remains. The Kharak Pancham, also known as the Ravi Shankar style, is a sitar with several playable strings and two extra bass strings.

a b Gallo, Phil (12 December 2012). "Ravi Shankar's Impact on Pop Music: An Appreciation". billboard.com. Introducing Blogger Mala Chandrashekhar - a specialist academically trained in modern Western sciences, yet deeply enamored with India's timeless ethnic arts, crafts, and textiles. Her heart beats for the rich and glorious cultural and spiritual heritage of India, and she has dedicated her entire blog to spreading the immortal glories of ancient India worldwide. Through her simple yet impactful blog posts, Mala aims to reach every nook and corner of the globe, sharing India's beauty and wisdom with the world. The following text is taken from the book "Classical Musical Instruments" by Suneera Kasliwal, Delhi 2001. Sitar Sympathetic strings are used to enhance the sound of an instrument. They function as resonators. Within the sitar, there are either 11 or 13 strings. Below is the tuning for 13 strings.Starting in the late 1950s and early 1960s, the sitar became more well known to Western audiences primarily through touring by the Indian musician Ravi Shankar. Interest in the sitar really exploded, though, when bands like the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Traffic, and Fleetwood Mac used it in recordings and live performances.