Sitars have an average life expectancy of 30 to 45 years, depending on the quality of care given to the instrument. The thing to remember is to have different types of tuning beads on each string so that you can recognize the string being tuned by the touch of your fingers. When playing in a concert situation, you want to be able to tune your sitar without putting it down on the floor. It is visually disturbing and is not as accurate as tuning the sitar in the playing position. Tuning beads help do this in an elegant and accurate way. Many sitars when sold new have these beads on only a couple of strings. So invest in a few extra. You'll be glad you did :-) The sitar produces the widest variety of pitches among all the existing stringed instruments. There are several mechanics to change the tone and pitch and it’s a little more involved than you’d find on your standard 6 string electric. India’s rich cultural heritage is epitomized by its classical music, and one of the most iconic instruments that captures the essence of this tradition is the sitar. With its mesmerizing sound and intricate craftsmanship, the sitar has earned global recognition as a symbol of Indian classical music. This enchanting instrument is not only a marvel of artistry but also a vehicle for artistic expression, transporting listeners to a world of emotions and spirituality. Lavezzoli, Peter (2006). The Dawn of Indian Music in the West. New York, NY: Continuum. pp.172–173, 180. ISBN 0-8264-2819-3.

Die dünnen Resonanzsaiten sind aus Silber-beschichtetem Stahl, ebenso die Spielsaiten Nr. 1 in Ma (F), die Pa-Saite (G) Nr. 5 und die beiden Chikari-Saiten in Sa (C) Nr. 6 und 7. Die 2. Saite in Sa (C) und die 3. in Pa (G) sind aus Bronze. Die 4. Saite ist ein tiefes Sa (C) wie beim Cello und aus massivem Messing. The Ravi Shanker Sitar, used for instrumental performance, has a tuning frequently used across styles and schools. It is as follows: 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. Often you will want to play the sitar but by the time you have fully tuned it the feeling and inspiration is gone. In these situations, my recommendation is to just tune the 1st two strings main strings – F & C and the chicari strings both to C. This should take less than a minute. 98% of your playing will be on these strings.There are multiple types of sitars, with the most popular being Kharak Pancham, Gandhar Pancham, and Surbahar. Every sitar player and teacher develops a tuning preference based on the sitar school and/or sub-tradition that they are a part of.

These strings run under the frets and are never played. In other words, you can only strum them but you cannot fret them to create a melody. When playing the sitar, players must glide from one note to another while tuning the sympathetic strings. It was also theorized in Muslim tradition that the sitar was invented, or rather developed by Amir Khusrow ( c.1253–1325), a famous Sufi inventor, poet and pioneer of Khyal, Tarana and Qawwali, during the 13th century. [7] [9] [10] [11] However, the tradition of Amir Khusrow is considered discredited by some scholars. [12] Whatever instruments he might have played, no record exists from this period using the name "sitar". [10] POSTSCRIPT: Found a YouTube video that used western note designations and they were, from top down; Don’t worry about playing the bottom strings as a beginner. The 11-14 bottom strings on a sitar, called the sympathetic strings, are what produce the instrument’s distinct vibratory tone. When you play the top strings, the bottom strings vibrate and produce their own sound. You don’t need to play the bottom strings with your finger, although experienced sitar players sometimes do to create special effects. [9] X Research source

Miscellaneous

This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( April 2022) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message) This further proves that, while anyone can play the sitar, not anyone can play it well. 7. The Sitar Was Popularized in Pop Music in the 1960s