Description
A sitar is a stringed instrument from North India with a very distinctive sound. In addition to four melody strings and three rhythm strings (chikari), the instrument also has eleven to fourteen sympathetic strings (tarafs). The sympathetic strings are tuned to the scale of the corresponding raga. The sitar traditionally originates from the Hindustani music of North India and likely developed from two instruments: the Persian Seh-tar and the North Indian Rudra Veena. The distinctive sound is produced by the wide, slightly convex bridges made of ivory or camelbone. This allows both the main and sympathetic strings to rest against the bridge, creating the overtone spectrum. The instrument gained popularity in the West in the 1960s through Ravi Shankar's many performances, such as the famous Bangladesh concert in America. The Beatles and other pop groups also used the instrument several times in their songs. The most famous sitar player in the West was Ravi Shankar. He played at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967, among other events. This, among other things, brought Indian music in general, and sitar music in particular, to the public. Ravi Shankar died on December 11, 2012. To this day, sitar concerts are regularly held in many Western countries, and Indian music lessons are given.
