Sitar Mechanics - A Visual Guide
A distinctive feature of the sitar are the curved frets, which are movable (allowing fine variation in tuning) and raised (so that resonant, or sympathetic, strings can run underneath the frets, giving a very lush sound). A typical sitar has 18, 19 or 20 strings (depending on the style) — there are 6 (in the Vilayat Khan style) or 7 (in the Ravi Shankar style) playable strings on top and 11, 12 or 13 sympathetic strings or tarbs under the frets.
Return to Glenn Deumans Sitar Information Page
How can I learn to play sitar?