How to Play the Sitar : How to Tune a Sitar

[kenco124]

i absolutly love the sitar such a magical instrument i really badly want one :(

[Hayleysmarty]

george harrisons son was named after the 6th and 7th notes of indian music: Dhani

[RyeHero]

The Beatles- quote " Its very much easy to learn basics of Guitar but too hard to Even dream Learning about Sitar the Beauty of its sound can take you to different level " Unfortunately they left after the first lesson, they found it too difficult AL though sitar featured in the "This Bird Has Flown" and "Within You Without You. George HarrisonTook lesson from Shankar and Shambhu Das.The Rolling Stones used a sitar in "Paint It, Black" ,for those who thinks music is piece of cake "Take a hike"

[oneforrestone]

and yet, i still don't know how to tune a sitar

[sitarstylereptiles]

The sympathetic stings are tuned (Sa, Sa, Ni, Sa, Ra, Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, Ni, Sa, Ra, Ga)

[MrOppi3]

holy shit! this woman is like the Martha Stuwart of sitars

[JAR4899]

I'll definently need some help O_o

[jacobsanchez24]

gosh, this must take some getting used to

[TheBassrules4394]

where does the sound come from? is it like plugged in or microphone or wtf? is it just that loud?

[Aureliano0Peachdoor]

@TheBassrules4394

The whole instrument is hollow, even the neck

i don't know much about sitars but i'm guessing that's why it has such special sound

[sitarstylereptiles]

im getting a sitar soon because of this very video as soon as i saw it i could never get enough of this beautiful instrament

[jasonmh]

Thank you for the attempt but that didn't make any sense.

[MohoBiechiz]

YOU ARE FUCKING WHITE, BE PROUD OF IT!

[tellmeitsnottaken]

This is the first Expert Village video I have seen that was actually worth watching! =D

[evil2insanity]

I was considering saving up and buying a sitar, but This thing looks like the most Insanely hard instrument to tune and play ever.. I'm sticking with Regular 'ol guitar

[yoyomasta47]

Hey, thanks for the upload! How much is a standard sitar?

[KingMidas619]

I just got a sitar a couple of weeks ago

I must say, you make it look quite easy haha

Tuning this wonderful instrument is a real bitch :P

[mattboy88]

this woman has an annoying voice

[MegaReaper127]

must take years just to start playing

[79902625]

@MegaReaper127 i was gona say, must take years for a newbie to tune it

[connacoustic]

wow. im overwhelmed

[kixmet]

movable frets thats genius of a 13th century mind.

[fcastro04]

Thanks to you Amelia, I have just bought my sitar and tunned up for the first time...

[EuTuboSim2010]

what a sound! omg ..i think SKUNK ANANSIE use this sound on the few begining seconds of CHARLIE BIG POTATO! exoctic!

[nwo50150]

reminds me of the little drummer boy.

[TravisGThacker]

the tuning in itself sounds like a chill out song xD

[vanCarnage]

the thing is, i cant find any shop selling a sitar.

[stratoMV]

@vanCarnage internet!

[vanCarnage]

@stratoMV clever boy.

[Yourmomathon]

Your a lil flat lol

[horbergaren]

these wannabe hindu/buddhist new-age jackasses drive me fucking crazy

[SuperMuchoMango]

WTF mom? I didn't know you played sitar!!

[ReignzOfBrainz]

I don't want a white bitch! I want one of mah indian niggas showing me how it's done.

[ottozing]

@ReignzOfBrainz does it actually matter

[ReignzOfBrainz]

Well, I was just joking but, somewhere in my soul it's telling me that it does.

[KobraKid95]

@ReignzOfBrainz .....LOL WTF?!

[BigPoppaChump]

20 or more strings and adjustable frets. It's amazing a player ever has a chance to do anything beyond tuning!

[teratophobia]

@BigPoppaChump

We do?

[vodude]

That is one big ass trippy looking guitar!

[eosvid]

138,756 videos??? i hope there's a "sitar" playlist...

[NightByrdFlying]

i'm thinking about to buy me a sitar. Could anybody please tell me some things i have to watch out or something. Thanks :)

[mistermysterious420]

2:24 - 2:27 ; maaaary had a little lamb..

lmao ;D

[chellywuzhere636]

ever since i heard norwegian wood by the beatles..i wanted to play this

[nicholsjoshua15]

@chellywuzhere636 I have never heard Norwegian Wood, but The Games People Play is what brought me here. Joe South and the sitar are a great combination.

[THEwhiteRHIN0]

i dont fucking understand the sitar...

[alapana]

cannot see the picture. very irritation to see only the captions!

[PonchoLopez]

@alapana

Turn them off.. click CC

[alansitarbrown]

Get the words out of the way ,,,Come on !

[alansitarbrown]

Get the word out of the way ! ?????????

[wafflegal101]

wow how much do the strings cost? i just bought strings for a violin and they wren't cheap.

[EmpathicAlchemist]

@wafflegal101 I pay about $25 plus S&H for a pack of strings from Ali Akbar colelge store website.

[vegardone]

O.o someone think there may be a tuner to it?? X))

[darkmachete]

I think I will just stick with my guitar :) The sitar is too complicated for me.

[BIGSBYTREM]

Here is a stupid question. What kind of case is that in the background? The one you bet with most models is huge and heavy so I was just wondering where you got it and what the company/brand is? Cool lesson by the way..

[bassface2020]

i like the lotus tuning pegs

[nickdwaters]

I am intimidated by the tuning. Naturally I broke a string. Also the pegs are a pain. I need to put the pitch stuff on them. Beautiful sound.

[shibainuwalker]

How do you tune the sympathetic strings? Is a shruti box the best way?

[boliejeehaan]

YOU AT expertvillage ,DESERVE ALL THE PRAISE FOR THE WORK you have under-taken !! Dont't let the heart-less world to run you down..!! from; Your admirer

[mathsterk]

i want a sitar, it's so cool sound!

and it's nice that it's a tuning guide for sitars.

[donaleekatz]

@mathsterk dude totally get one, but be prepared: it aint easy. its really cool though

[CapoeiraPiper]

I want a sitar SO BAD!!!!

[JeffVyain]

wow thanks for this video. what a beautiful instrument, even just listening to you tune it. the constant drone is incredible!

[benissocoolFACT]

Ahh that looks WAY beyond me...

[bebowilliams]

I never knew you can tune a Sitar...interesting.

I like the sound so I would probably just mess around with it and play with bending the strings alot.

[KEPHALLE]

every instrument has to be tuned, even most percussion instruments

[ohwell121]

i love how the harmonics sound

[nekusakuraba567]

4 seconds into the video and i fell asleep

its so boaring

[jockamofeena]

@nekusakuraba567 maybe a how to spell video is more for you.

[atticthoughts]

Tuning is the easy part. Show us how to preserve the jawari instead. That is difficult.

[HighVoltageVids]

hippies!

[SuperSc0tt]

lol imma stick to guitar...

[empanadilla10]

NOT A GOOD EXPLANATION AT ALL...

[captainsurfcaster]

OMG- I thought it was complicated enough tuning a sitar using wooden pegs AND little slidey beads.But, MOVEABLE FRETS??? And then getting the sympathetic strings in tune.... I think I'll buy a Variaxe....

[gooberhamm]

It isn't that difficult, I've been playing for about a month. As a Westerner, there are many things I don't yet understand, but my guru is teaching me. The frets are moved to get the correct intonation, and tuning is simple after a couple days. I found my sitar on Craigslist. One thing to remember, just because a sitar looks pretty and has that extra gourd by the headstock, doesn't mean it will sound better than my $350 instrument with no embellishments. It's good to find a teacher.

[mikeytheskinhead]

how on earth do change a string if it breaks? just like a normal guitar i surpose?

[gooberhamm]

Unlike most guitars, which often have sharp points at the bridge, the sitar doesn't and therefore doesn't break strings too often. Get this, you only fret one of the many strings--the rest are strummed without fretting; the sympathetic strings generally aren't plucked during a song. Compare it to a guitar tuned to a chord, such as D (DADF#AD) where open strings can be played and therefore have the capacity to create "hard to define" chords and harmonized sweet sounds. It can feel more organic.

[Maj0ra]

Sitars are so insanely long, they must be super heavy.

[mykylc]

Not at all...very very light.

[jel2003]

That thing sounds good even out of tune.

[tyer3tyer]

i think im gonna stay with guitar xD

[dave8594]

Play Norwiegan Wood!

[Meeglie]

Hah, You get me. lol. Awesome song.

[Divljina89]

Sitar is the MOM!

[gooberhamm]

I didn't learn how to tune my sitar by watching this "PhD."

[mykylc]

no doubt

[gooberhamm]

Why give me negative marks? My statement is true: there was no mention of tuning the main strings, only the sympathetic strings, which are secondary in importance in tuning. Having a Ph.D doesn't mean you know how to teach tuning... I'm a teacher and a musician, and as a student of the sitar, I learned very little from this clip, despite pretty clothes and pillows and a Ph.D.

[Dansback21]

That is so beautiful it brought tears to my eyes!

[dont6sue4me0]

This is some crazy shit, I want a sitar now

[TheAwesomeness96]

@dont6sue4me0 me too, but it look extremely hard! :D

[alframojol]

thank you!

[Ovalvox]

Awesome sounding sitar.

[danglasses14]

This instrument sounds so awesome, it seems awful hard though.

[pokiri4unme]

Just wanted to say Thank you So much.. I always wanted to know more about the Sitar. Thank you for the videos...

[carveawoodeneye]

i never complain but!! with expertvillage you can never find all the videos !!! and can't you just tell us how many strings are on the sitar and what the notes are in english i get the little strings you tune to the scale but the the other strings where a 1st and 7th and a 1st again of the scale? expertvillage always confuses me more than before i watch the video it's free i should not complain but it could be such a good thing with a little work!!!

[jsog1]

Totally right, expert village covers so much different "expertises" I guess they gotta cut on quality somewhere, but they shouldn't have to, like you say

[EstevanMusic]

Indian music as far as I know is 22 tone based (more or less) and there are no concrete note frequencies to tune to.

Like A= 440 in the west.

there is no such thing as no "standard A" in classical indian music. It is so free and spiritual, so much more attuned to free will and expression than the dissonant equal tune temperament used here in the west.

it is just fractions according to the raga. (I think)

I want a sitar very badly. :(

[carveawoodeneye]

yea i have tabla and they are fun i still want a left handed sitar and a tanpura !!

[CapoeiraPiper]

@EstevanMusic Its cool you mention this, I play the highland Bagpipes, and in celtic music, often, the main note we tune to, is not in relevance to a perfectly pitched note.

[oshidonimlop]

I have heard of this method for tuning the sympathetic strings, but my low sa/do/c popped once I brought it passed a low pa/sol/g. The current method that I use right now is where the scale starts from low pa/sol/g and goes up diatonically from there, but I would really like to use this system of tuning, instead. Can anyone help?

[uncleclunk]

this is really cool. I have one, haven't played it years, but am motivated to do so, need new strings which are available, or used to be, anyone watching this is obviously interested in this instrument,and what she says about tuning the sympothetic strings, I know I spelled it wrong,is really important, you won't get that great drone sound if they are not right, I didn't realize you could change tuning by moving the frets either, great info thanks.

[thelmasss]

I have to get a Sitar :D

[danceofthedruids]

Very informative video ... thank you! :>)

[xrockangelx]

I didn't know sitars had movable frets! That's AWESOME. I really really want to play with one..

[domenband]

Could how the sitar tunning in...well notes that i know like A - D or C.... does SA correspond to a C??

[Canaveral305]

At 2:42 when she says "do ré mi fa sol la si do", it means "C, D, E, F, G, A, B" in French/Italian/Spanish/other languages.

[wtfigo08]

I don't understand why some ppl find it amazing that a white woman playing sitar..it has nothing to with race or colour..if an asian or black can play piano or guitar why not whites tabla or sitar..music, sports these things have no boundary at all....in fact research every musical instruments in the world, most of them have an indo-european origin..

[Jordainio]

@EstevanMusic I play jazz and it sucks to walk out in the street and hear shit music every day. All media just promotes horrible horrible music, dumbs down everyone to keep em' paying taxes and being good little Christian shits.

[EstevanMusic]

@Jordainio I agree with you, this whole society is a illusion to keep people controllable.

I understand your frustration, but there was no need to insult Christians.

Playing Jazz doesn't make you better than everyone else, or give you the right to talk that way about people you don't know (that's called prejudice).

Have a nice day dude, you are a pretty good drummer!

[Jordainio]

@EstevanMusic Wow, thanks man...did you see a video or something? And yeah I insult people a lot but I love everyone too. Anger issues ya know? heh

[EstevanMusic]

@Jordainio Ya, I watched "Jazz Rock Funk".

You guys are really cool. Props to ya.

Love and Peace

-Estevan

[EstevanMusic]

@gl0gg I can see your comment is removed... oh well here is my response:

I am sorry I did not mean to offend you or anybody.

I was trying to highlight the significance of somebody playing an instrument out of their heritage. You don't see too many Sitar players anymore! :)

[gl0gg]

@EstevanMusic indeed, we have both made follies... and yes, it would be wonderful to see more sitar players. im getting tired of having all this competition as a guitarist! yes, more people should explore other cultures.

[EstevanMusic]

@gl0gg What do you mean we BOTH made follies? you just misunderstood what I said plain and simple, and then you verbally attacked me IIRC.

If everyone listened to Ravi Shankar 10 minutes a day the world would be a better place (^_^) haha

peace :)

[JoyceyJC]

not meaning to offend but i feel really weirded out when i see people totally integrated into a seemingly different culture (completely ignoring the fact that she might have been raised in asia or whatnot). its like british people in yukatas or brazilians in qipaos.. :P pretty cool stuff though

[akinderreality]

and yet we think nothing of Japanese people who play Jazz or eastern European heavy metal bands...

In the end, what we find is that art and music has never been specific to one culture, European music has a strong influence from the Arab world, which was heavily influenced from the Persians who were heavily influenced from the Mongolians and so on...

The world has always been small, we just see more of it these days

[tubsmcgee101]

it sounds beautiful... i just bought one...

[rag3075]

lol i have a sitar but i dont have any strings :D

[votejello]

I wish I had money for a sitar. I've always wanted to get my hands on one. It is a beautiful instrument.

[namaste91]

i understand you completely!...have a friend, a woman,who has a india store even with sitars...But there are sooo expensive!:( (450-600 € up)...i think i save for a sitar or buy me one in india any time!:)

[Thundermaned]

That's not expensive at all!

If you play guitar, decent guitars start from that range as well, and if you want to be serious take one of €1000,-

With cello it's even worse, a decent one starts from 1000 and a serious one from 2000.

With such an unconventional instrument as the sitar, I'd say 450-600 is a bargain. You go buy one NOW!

[gleeglee25]

Go to amazon and buy the repaired ones. They are a steal, I got mine for 300 bucks brand new, with a single repaired crack in it, and the instrument sounds fine.

[Thundermaned]

Thanks for the tip! :D

[ThrEEleggedFilipino]

Uhm, WHITE!?

[LumberUggs]

so?

[manjoe2995]

your white...

[orbital92hotmail]

a woman should not be allowed to play this special instrument.

[Itheprosperone]

What an ignorant comment. There are quite a few very good women sitar players. I feel sorry for you.

[wwbrittany]

Anoushka Shankar plays the Sitar, and she is really good at it. She happens to be one of the most famous Sitar players out there, besides Ravi Shankar.

[clerlic]

a retard like you shouldn't be allowed to post on the internet.

[equalcharliebrown]

I don't like you, go away.

[jonagwoo]

such a psychedelic instrument. truly beautiful no matter what you play!

[brokenseatbelt]

what a beautiful instrument.

[leoncio41]

how the mechanism of the strings works?? can someone explainme please ?? I see is way different than the guitar mechanism... you have levers all along the arm ... nice playing

[RikFilms]

The regular strings touch the sympathetic strings while vibrating.

[atticthoughts]

You have 2 bridges. One is smaller with 11-20 thin strings that aren't fretted. These run into holes in the neck (which is hollow) and come out to the small pegs on the side of the neck. Then you have a second bigger bridge with 6-7 main strings. These run above the thin strings to the big tuning pegs. The tones on these main strings resonates with the thin. How they resonate depends on your tuning. Hope that answered your question. :)

[uprightbass90]

hi atticthoughts how's it going anyway could you send me and e-mail with information and technique of the sitar I want to learn something about this instrument

[atticthoughts]

Thanks for the confidence. But I'm not really the right person to do this for you. I haven't had someone to teach me about the sitar so my playing and technique isn't "right". I've learned enough to play in rock music and that's about it. Ravi Shankar would cry of shame if he heard me play. :) Anyway, there are a lot of good sites to give you info about the sitar and videos like this give you hints.

[bodhidarma1]

There are strings you play and strings you don't play. Rik films is mistaken. They sympathetic strings don't touch the strings. Here's a good explanation: If you sing the note of A into a piano, then the strings tuned to A will "sympathetically resonate", as in they kind of ring. Try it with a guitar or something. But yeah the sympathetic strings on a sitar operate by the same principle. It's just wavelengths moving through the air and that causes resonance.

[88ragtime]

I love sitar, but sometimes I wonder if you have to take LSD or some other hallucinogen to understand Indian music.

[Noiseferatu]

Not necessariy (but it helps).

***ggg***

[atticthoughts]

No. LSD would make you way too sensitive and you wouldn't remember shit. But you need to forget the western music theory and learn from scratch. It's just another way to look at music.

[Itheprosperone]

This is not true. Thats like saying you have to forget how to speak English to learn how to speak Japanese. Western music theory is applicable with sitar playing, Indian classical music theory is just different, another way of looking at things. Having western music theory knowledge can actually help you with sitar if you know how to apply it.

Also, some people out there are very capable of learning and playing music on Lsd, just my 2 cents.

[ironlungbongrip]

i know i am

[rockonzeppelin]

How many strings does a Sitar have?

[AlphaCentauri00]

I think 25 strings. 7 are actually played while the rest are the sympathetic strings

[Nemo35K]

there are 6-7 strings on the first bridge and 11-18 on the lower bridge (the sympathetic strings), you play one string (called the baj tar) for melody, the string directly above the baj tar can also be played but rarely is and the rest of the top strings are for drone (the top three drone strings are called the chikari so there is about 18-25 strings on a sitar

[KrsnaDasaTan]

interesting. go check out pipa sitar and tabla u will definately enjoy it =) its totally different enjoy

[adityaworld]

the best instrument <3

[chum1002]

i love the sitar, i am going to be getting a new one soon.

[NaruAvaFan999]

Demyx....

[xScriptedxDestinyx]

True That.

[Obelo2]

Haribol

please, could you take more time to explain and show how excactly the tuning goes?

RAVI SHANKAR STYLE

VILAYAT KHAN STYLE

[JRR951]

for those that have a sitar- where could i buy one of these and what's the average price for someone wanting to start out??? i love its sound

[ledZeppelinkid4706]

where can i get a good sitar for a reasonable amount of money?

[bigboiBrice]

There is a good ebay store you can find good ones on ebay trust me i got mine there

[powersack]

it looks like a mutant-guitar-monster.. iam afraid.. but i love the sound...

[Wallsorym]

i like the sound of sitar... but sometimes its make me feel dizzy.

[chokolate999]

yeah its Psychedelic

[pithaw]

I can tune guitar in seconds - but that scares the shit out of me! Do all sitars have movable frets cause that just does it for me?

[bcwarlock926]

same here. guitar only has 6 keys this has like 57075896563 stings!

[chum1002]

guitar has 6 strings...not sure about guitar, but sure they are called "Strings".

[Lithys]

depends on the guitar... some have 12 strings... some have more i think (bass guitar has 4)

[bradhienzachary]

Wow! I have enough trouble keeping my 6 string guitar in tune!!!!!!

[lordshadowone]

I've been tunning my sitar for a hour or more. is very difficult. maybe if camera takes a closer view of your fingers, and saying which note is (sa-re-ga-ma...) but is very lovely to learn like this, because on my situation only a one theacher is possible, (not always) From Mallorca, Spain

[solomaster12]

looks freakin hard to play, very talented

[zerglurker9]

LOL

[TheSleepingVillage]

fuck i would love to learn this instrument. even while shes tuning it sounds awsom. gonna have to get me one and get learnin

[Idioteque311]

i know how you feel

[giggleblaggle]

hi. i live in america. i really want to purchase a sitar, but for really cheap. anyone know where I could get one for $250 or less? thanks. also, nice video. that sitar looks like a pain to tune, but i'm sure it's fun to play.

[rawrock24]

ebay.