Tanpura
Strings that are never fretted, played open to hold the drone under a raga.
Coming soonSitar
A long-necked lute from North India with a gourd body, curved movable frets, and a second set of strings that ring on their own.
Synthesized in your browser as an illustration, not a recording.
Questions about the sitar
Why does a sitar buzz?
The main strings rest on a wide, gently curved bridge called the jawari. As a string vibrates it brushes against that curve instead of leaving from one sharp edge, which keeps adding high overtones and gives the sitar its bright, buzzing tone.
What do the extra strings under the frets do?
Those are the taraf, or sympathetic strings, up to 13 of them. They are not plucked in the melody; they are tuned to the notes of the raga and ring on their own when the main strings sound those notes.
Why are the frets curved?
The frets are arched and movable, so players can shift them to suit a raga, and pull a string sideways across a fret to bend the pitch (meend).
How many strings does a sitar have?
Usually five melody strings, one or two drone strings, and up to 13 sympathetic strings, so about 18 to 20 in all. Counts vary by maker and style.
Hear it live
9 upcoming sitar concertsSitar gharanas and stylesMore instruments
Plucked stringsDrone Plucked strings Wind Drums Plucked strings Reeds
Sitar
A curved bridge makes the buzz; up to 13 sympathetic strings ring underneath.
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