The Sitar

The sitar is a famous instrument from India. It has a very long neck and a round body made from a gourd. The sitar can have up to 20 strings. Players sit on the floor and hold the sitar at an angle to play it.

How It Sounds

The sitar has a special buzzing sound that is unlike any other instrument. Only some of its strings are plucked to play the melody. The other strings shake on their own and add a ringing background sound. These extra strings are called sympathetic strings. The sitar is used in classical music from India.

Famous Sitar Players

Ravi Shankar was one of the greatest sitar players ever. He helped make the sitar famous around the world. In the 1960s, the rock band The Beatles became interested in the sitar. George Harrison learned to play it and used it in their songs. Because of this, the sitar became known to many new listeners.

Fun Facts

• The sitar can have up to 20 strings, but only about 7 are played.
• Sitar players use a wire pick called a mizrab on one finger.
• Some sitars are over four feet long.

Did You Know?

The Beatles song 'Norwegian Wood' was the first popular rock song to feature a sitar.