Sitar

The sitar is one of the best-known Hindustani instruments, shaped over centuries from plucked lutes into the modern concert form. In Indian classical music, it explores a raag gradually, often moving from a slow, spacious opening into rhythmic development and then into composed gat with tabla in a chosen taal. The sitar became internationally famous because its sound feels both brilliant and deep, with a shimmering aura around every note.

A typical sitar is built from seasoned wood with a long neck and a resonating gourd, fitted with movable arched frets. It carries main playing strings, drone strings, and sympathetic strings that ring in sympathy with what is played, enriching the tone. It is played with a metal plectrum (mizrab) on the index finger, while the left hand pulls the string across the frets to create wide, singing meend and delicate microtonal inflections. It is primarily a solo instrument, and what makes it unique is the combination of movable frets, powerful string-bends, and sympathetic resonance that creates a glowing, layered sound unlike most other lutes.