The
Sitar is the most popular melody instrument in classical
northern Indian music today and is, together with
the Surbahar and the Tanpura, part of the family of
long-neck lutes. The large resonance box is made of
a dried pumpkin; - neck, cover and a possible second
smaller resonance box are mostly made of Tun wood,
an Indian variety of teakwood. Metal strings made
of steel (bass strings also of brass or bronze) run
across two bridges made of bone. The frets are movable
by cords that are tied to the neck and are also made
of steel. Depending on the special features of the
Sitar (full decoration, plain decoration or Sitars
in Vilyat Khan style) it is more or less lavishly
decorated with inlaid work of celluloid.
TWO SITAR CATEGORIES: RAVI SHANKAR STYLE AND VILAYAT KHAN STYLE
The Sitars that are being made nowadays can be divided
into two main categories. One group complies with
the so-called "Ravi Shankar Style" (Kharaj-Pancham)
in construction and features, the other group orientates
itself to the Vilayat Khan Style. On both forms of
Sitars, different musical styles are played. Sitars
in the Ravi Shankar style usually have 2 resonance
boxes, 13 sympathetic resonant strings and 7 playing
strings. 4 of the 7 playing strings are played as
melody strings and comprise 4 octaves.
The
Sitars in the"Vilayat Khan Style" (Gandhar-Pancham)
have only one resonance box on principle.There are
11 sympathetic resonant strings and 6 playing strings,
2 of which are played as melody strings over a range
of three octaves. The design is unsophisticated and
decorations and inlays are sparse.
DIFFERENT TUNING POSSIBILITIES OF THE SIITAR
The
central element in tuning a Sitar is the keynote
which can be selected individually and is usually
between c and d, often c sharp, depending on the
desired sound pattern.
Tuning in Ravi Shankar style (Kharaj-Pancham):
2nd string (Jure) - tuning to the keynote
4th string (Kharaj) - tuning an octave lower than
the keynote
6th string (Chikari) - tuning an octave higher than
the keynote
7th string (Chikari) - tuning two octaves higher
than the keynote
5th string (Pancham-Chikari) - is the fifth over
the keynote
3th string (Pancham) - is the fifth in the lower
octave
1st string is the main playing string (Baj) and
is tuned to the fourth
So,
if you have chosen c sharp as the keynote, the following
tuning results: f sharp, c sharp, G sharp, C sharp,
g sharp, c' sharp, c'' sharp.
The
sympathetic resonating strings (Taraf) are tuned
to the applied scale. The longest resonating string
is tuned to the keynote and then you tune from the
lower seventh upwards to the high third. An especially
important note in the middle octave can be tuned
twice.
Tuning in Vilayat Khan style (Gandhar-Pancham)
The
first two strings are tuned exactly as in Kharaj-Pancham
style (see above), neither is there a difference
for the two Chikari and the Pancham-Chikari strings.
Instead of the two low melody strings Pancham and
Kharaj, however, in Gandhar-Pancham-Sitars only
one additional Chikari steel string is used. This
string is tuned either to the big or small third.
Thus the complete tuning of the playin strings with
c sharp as keynote looks like this: f sharp, c sharp,
f, g sharp, c' sharp, c'' sharp. For the resonant
strings the tuning usually starts with the seventh
and then goes up the scale to the third in the high
octave.
STANDARD STRINGING
As standard tuning for a Kharaj-Pancham Sitar (see
above) the following strings can be used:
1st 0,30 mm steel
2nd 0,40 mm bronze
3rd 0,55 mm bronze
4th 0,85 mm brass
5th 0,27 mm steel
6th/7th & taraf 0,22 mm steel
These (and other) strings can be ordered from TARANG
either as a complete set or individually or on rolls.
THE PLAYING TECHNIQUE
Both, the Sitar and the Surbahar are played in a sitting
position on the floor. The pumpkin body rests upon
the musician's foot and the instrument is held in
a way that the neck is in a slanted position of about
45 degrees in front of the player. The playing strings
that run across the large bridge are plucked using
a wire finger pick on the right index finger. The
resonant strings that run across the small bridge
vibrate automatically without being plucked. The left
hand fingers the melody on the frets. The strings
are not only pressed down on the frets but also pulled
sideways. This technique makes the unbelievable variety
of ornamentation and microtones possible that is so
essential in Indian music.
DIFFERENT PRICE CATEGORIES
All Sitars offered by TARANG Indian Instruments are
instruments by leading Indian instrument makers. They
are, on principle, handmade unique objects and not
industrially mass-produced items. We offer a wide
variety of different manufacturers, models and Sitar
styles in different appearances and sound philosophy
to choose from. Naturally we also pay attention to
your special wishes and commission a suitable instrument
for you that meets your requirements.
For
beginners we have the simpler versions available in
a price range of up to 650.-- Euro. The instruments
do not have very high standards concerning the sound
and also the quality of craftsmanship is not so high.
More serious music lovers and musicians will be more
interested in our de-luxe Sitars in the price range
around 890.-- Euro, as these have a significantly
better craftsmanship and also a better sound quality
that can never be reached by the more inexpensive
instruments. Instruments in the price range from 2.000.--
Euro meet the highest requirements. Here highest-quality
materials are crafted carefully according to the traditional
art of instrument-making. These instruments have brilliant
sound qualities and their craftsmanship and high-grade
design make them instruments for life.
