Full set of 18 Top Branded Karuna Indian Sitar Strings 7+11 includes Tarafdar (Sympathetic Strings)

Product Information

In Western music, it's common to tune in C, but the standard Indian tuning is in D. Here's what the tones look like: Solfege: Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni Sa It’s one of India’s oldest instruments, up there with the pakhawaj (a barrel-shaped drum), the sarangi (a non-fretted bowed instrument), and the sarod (a stringed instrument). Mulism invasions in India starting from the early eighth century to fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, from the north- western front, exposed Indians to the music, literature and social customs of Turkish, Persian and central Asian cultures. Around this time the instrument called tambur or tanbur appeared on the Indian music scenario. Ameer Khusarau described the tambur as having four strings, two of silk and two of metal. InAin-i-Akbari, four tambur players are included among the thirty-six listed musicians of the court of Akbar. A variety of tanbur with three strings instead of four is termed as seh-tar.

There are multiple types of sitars, with the most popular being Kharak Pancham, Gandhar Pancham, and Surbahar. Sympathetic strings run over a smaller bridge called chota gora. Sitar players tune them to the notes of whatever raga (melodic framework) they play. a b James Sadler Hamilton (1994). Sitar Music in Calcutta: An Ethnomusicological Study. Motilal Banarsidass. p.50. ISBN 9788120812109. Due to the absence of any mention of the sitar in the writings of Amir Khusrau (1285-1351) or in those of his contemporaries it is unlikely that any musical instrument with this name existed at that time.

Miscellaneous

A mizrab is a sitar plectrum made from brass or steel wire. It is worn on the tip of the right hand’s index finger. Tuning sitar strings There are various additional sub-styles and cross mixes of styles in sitars, according to customer preferences. Most importantly, there are some differences in preferences for the positioning of sympathetic ( taraf) string pegs (see photo). 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. Miner, Allyn (April 2004). Sitar and Sarod in the 18th and 19th Centuries. Motilal Banarsidass Publ. ISBN 978-81-208-1493-6. However, all these strings don’t get the same playtime.Let’s understand the three categories of strings and their role/function in Hindustani music: 1. Drone strings or Chikari(s)

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.When tuning a sitar first locate the middle C note on a keyboard, piano or guitar. If you have a tuned guitar, the middle C note is located on the 2nd string (B string) 1st fret. On a full sized midi keyboard (88 keys) or piano the middle C note is located in the middle of the piano. Some midi keyboard manufacturers, such as M-audio, have middle C labelled as ‘C3’ on their full sized keyboards. You will use the middle C note as a reference point to tune the sitar. The 2nd, 4th, 6th and 7th main strings of your sitar will be tuned to the tonic note. Well relax! This is natural. As a matter of fact, to make sure you practice playing your sitar more than you spend time tuning it, the traditional way is to have a sitar student buy a sitar without sympathetic strings. Some teacher might even recommend removing or muting them in the initial stages of your study. This then keeps the students mind on practice and gradually, as you start getting used to the instrument and gain practice with the upper strings, you can start delving into the sympathetic tuning. Throughout the 20th century, Ravi had influenced musicians across the world—including the lead guitarist of The Beatles, George Harrison. Lavezzoli, Peter (2006). The Dawn of Indian Music in the West. New York, NY: Continuum. p.158. ISBN 0-8264-2819-3.

Lavezzoli, Peter (2006). The Dawn of Indian Music in the West. New York, NY: Continuum. p.65. ISBN 0-8264-2819-3.

Ravi Shankar Style

Burridge, Robert; Kappraff, Jay; Morshedi, Christine (1982). "The Sitar String, a Vibrating String with a One-Sided Inelastic Constraint". SIAM Journal on Applied Mathematics. 42 (6): 1231–1251. doi: 10.1137/0142086. JSTOR 2101114 . Retrieved 2022-05-29.